Well he does know how to destroy a brand

President Trump says he wants to keep out people who threaten the security of the United States. But his policies are discouraging tourists and threatening the American travel business, experts say.

One study forecasts a 10.6 million decline in visitors this year and next. The drop -- nearly 7% of expected travelers -- will cost the U.S. economy more than $18 billion and about 107,000 jobs, according to Tourism Economics, a forecasting firm used by the industry.

More than half of the lost business will be caused by reduced travel from Canada and Mexico. But experts say they are concerned about tourism declines from the U.K. and western Europe as well.

In March, Trump announced a 90-day freeze on visas for citizens of Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Courts have blocked the visa restrictions. The Trump administration also banned travelers from 10 airports in Muslim majority countries from bringing laptops into the plane cabin.

The two policy changes, while controversial, were limited in scope. But the debate they have caused is discouraging travel far beyond the policies themselves.

"The travel ban, such as it is, would affect less than 0.1% of all visitors. But the whole rhetoric around it has damaged the U.S. brand as a destination," said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics. "It's a very discretionary market. It takes very little for them to shift their travel plan and preferences."

"My gut tells me ... there are people who are upset by them and are interested in sending a message," said Jonathan Grella, spokesman for the U.S. Travel Association, which represents hotels and tourist attractions.
And it can take a long time to change negative attitudes about traveling, he said.

"We had to scratch and claw to make ourselves whole after 9/11, and suffered through a lost decade," he said. "If not handled properly, we could find ourselves in a hole like that which is deeper than it needs to be."