GOVERNMENT RECKLESSNESS TOWARDS TOURISM
Posted on 04/19/2016 | About Europe
Politicians say and do the damnedest things. Some things leave you scratching your head and others that can infuriate you. Over the years when it comes to tourism many politicians of all stripes both here and abroad really make some boneheaded decisions.
Abolition of the US Travel & Tourism Administration
In October 1996 when Bill Clinton was president he made the decision to abolish the US Travel and Tourism Administration. But it has relevance today with someone running for the Republican nomination, Ohio governor John Kasich.
Seen as the least extreme of three Republican candidates Kasich is no friend to tourism. Back in 1994 as House Committee Chair he was quite vociferous in his efforts to get rid of the US Travel & Tourism Administration even though it contributed billions of dollars to the US economy and creates jobs. Ever since that time, the US has been trying to regain its market share. Billions upon billions in revenues and thousands of jobs have been lost in the interim.
Tit for tat
The Visa Waiver Programme has been in the news a lot recently. The European Commission has indicated there is a lack of visa reciprocity with the United States, Canada and Brunei. Last week they delayed a decision on the matter until July 12th. Canada currently applies visa requirements for Bulgaria and Romania, while the US requires visas for citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania. US and Canadian citizens don’t require visas to visit these countries.
So essentially the European Union is saying if we don’t ask Americans and Canadians for visas for these countries why should those citizens require it to visit Canada and the US It’s all a political “you play ball and we will play ball” game.
When the Harper Administration required Mexicans to obtain visas to visit Canada a few years ago the Mexican visitor market to Canada plunged dramatically. It was a move that accomplished nothing. I justifiably received the cold shoulder when I just happened to be in Mexico the day following the announcement.
Sir/Madam You Go in That Bathroom – That’s an Order
North Carolina is tobacco country but I think Governor Pat McCrory and the legislators who voted for what’s become known as the anti-transgender bathroom bill must be smoking some other substance.
This discriminatory bill bars transgender people from using the restrooms, locker rooms and other sex-segregated facilities (in government owned buildings and public schools) of their gender stated on their birth certificate. The law also repealed LGBT-inclusive municipal non-discrimination ordinances throughout North Carolina and prevented cities or counties from enacting new ones.
Why did Governor McCrory feel he needed to impose a discriminatory law that goes literally into the bathrooms of the state? How will it be enforced? Will they hire sexual identity officers? And how will they identify the gender? Require passports? Ask the person to strip before them?
The ramifications of this law have already taken hold. Many associations and corporate groups have cancelled conferences and meetings in North Carolina. Entertainers like Bruce Springsteen have cancelled gigs.
Some travel editors have refused to hear pitches or run stories on North Carolina. Many events have been cancelled. This is just dumb politics by the governor. Tourism brings in significant tax revenues. It brings jobs. But it also brings pride in the place you are living – how many North Carolinians can feel proud that this bill has passed?
The even sadder part? Thirty similar bills have been introduced in 16 states in 2016 alone. Tennessee is next on the trans front. May saner and more progressive heads prevail over the bigotry and discrimination.
Tourism Matters
In 2015, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) global economic impact generated more than 107 million jobs (representing 3.6% of the world’s total employment) and contributing $7.2 trillion US to the global GDP.
The WTTC forecasts that global destinations will attract more than 1.2 billion international travellers during 2016 and by 2026 nearly 2 billion.
Impressive numbers to say the least. So why do politicians and governments treat tourism as an afterthought? In most governments it’s a junior portfolio or mixed in with two or three more “important” portfolios.
Travel agents and all those in the travel and tourism industry can take solace in the fact they DO make a difference in real people’s lives in a positive and tangible way.
Some politicians however just don’t get it and it’s effects with ill-advised legislation.
All people matter and that includes transgender individuals. Send the bathroom legislators where they belong – to the toilet and flush away.
