Tourism in the US collapses during first year of Trump

The United States' bustling tourism sector has taken a considerable hit since Donald Trump entered the White House in January 2017.

According to a new report, the US economy attracted four percent less tourists throughout 2017 than in Obama's final year in charge. May had the highest drop of tourism, falling by almost nine percent. According to CBS Connecticut, the US missed out on around $4.6 billion (£3.2 billion) in tourism revenue during the first six months of Trump's reign.

Foreign investors are also avoiding the United States, costing the country about 40,000 potential jobs.

Tourism Economics' Adam Sacks told the New York Times: "It's not a reach to say the rhetoric and policies of this administration are affecting sentiment around the world, creating antipathy toward the US and affecting travel behaviour."

Trump is being praised for his administration's record Wall Street figures and historically low unemployment rates, yet his moves clearly are not appealing to foreigners.

US Travel Association's Roger Dow told the Boston Globe that travel was the United States' second most important export and "supports more than 15 million Americans". "The latest government travel data is deeply concerning not just to our industry, but to anyone who cares about the economic well-being of the United States," Dow said.

According to CBS Connecticut, the United States was the third most popular country for international tourists behind Spain and France.

In terms of his own trips abroad, Trump has been no stranger to visiting other countries during his presidency. He attended Bastille Day in Paris last year after being invited by French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump has also visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy and Belgium to name a few.

A trip to the UK, however, is still up in the air. Bloomberg revealed that Trump complained in a phone call to May about the "negative coverage" he has received in the British press. May told the US president that that was how the UK media operated and she could do little to change it.

Trump reportedly went on to declare he would not visit the UK unless there were guarantees he would not be met with protests. Advisers who had been listening in on the phone call were reported to have been "astonished" at the demands.