The US Travel Association on March 2, 2017, said there are “mounting signs”  the Trump administration’s policies are having a “broad chilling effect on demand for international travel to the United States.” Bebeto Matthews / Associated Press, file
The US Travel Association on March 2, 2017, said there are “mounting signs” the Trump administration’s policies are having a “broad chilling effect on demand for international travel to the United StShow more

Trump slump? Signs of drop in international tourism to US



NEW YORK // They’re calling it the Trump Slump. Not only is US president Donald Trump discouraging migrants from mainly Muslim countries, he is having a similar effect on all visitors to the United States.

The US Travel Association says the Trump administration’s immigration policies are hurting tourism.

Earlier this week, the tourism agency NYC & Company revised its 2017 forecast to predict a drop in inbound international travel to New York City, with 300,000 fewer visitors compared to 2016. I will be he first time visitor numbers to New York have dropped since the 2008 recession. The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau lost a booking for an international conference expected to be attended by 3,000 people. They decided to go to Canada or Mexico instead. In Canada, the Toronto Star newspaper has eencouraed Canadians to boycott the US for holidays while Mr Trump remains president.

ForwardKeys, which tracks travel bookings, reported in February that international trends in bookings to the US are down by 6.5 per cent compared with the equivalent period the year before.

“It’s known as the Trump Slump,” travel guru Arthur Frommer wrote last month on Frommers.com. He called it “an unintended consequence of the Trump-led efforts to stop many Muslims from coming to the US,” resulting in “a sharp drop in foreign tourism to our nation that imperils jobs and touristic income.”

Roger Dow, the president and CEO of the US. Travel Association said there was concern that many international travellers have interpreted Mr Trump’s policies as “wanting to discourage international visitors generally, not just those who pose a security risk.” Tourism generates $2.1 trillion for the US economy and supports 15.1 million jobs, with international visitors a key component.

The president’s initial ban on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen was suspended following a court order, but a revised executive order on visas and immigration is expected soon.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters insisted it was premature to say Mr Trump’s executive order had affected tourism to the US. But the US Travel Association urged the administration to make clear in any revised order “that the US welcomes and values legitimate international business and leisure travellers.”

In another blow for the US, the European parliament on Friday voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the European Union for the next 12 months. The move follows America’s failure to stick to an agreement to allow citizens of five EU countries — Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania — to travel to America without visas.

* Associated Press

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court

Starting at 2pm:

Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]

Not before 4pm:

Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]

Not before 7pm:

Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]

Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)

Court One

Starting at 2pm

Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT) 

Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)

Not before 5pm:

Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)

Spain drain

CONVICTED

Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.

Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.

Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.

 

SUSPECTED

Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.

Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.

Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.

Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.

Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.

Company%20Profile
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

  1. Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
  2. Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
  3. Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
  4. Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
  5. Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
  6. Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
  7. Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
  8. Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Sukuk

An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.

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Company%20Profile
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