The number of visitors to the United States grew in May for the 13th consecutive month as travelers apparently shrugged off President Donald Trump's travel ban and the high dollar, according to a monthly report.
International travel to the United States rose by 5.2 percent in May compared to same month in 2016, the U.S. Travel Association reported Wednesday.
Also, the trade association's Travel Trends Index for April was "revised upward" to 6.6 percent; the trade group said April was "the first month of data to begin fully reflecting any effects of President Trump's initial executive order on immigration issued Jan. 27," the Washington Examiner reported.
"There is widespread talk of daunting challenges to the U.S. travel market — perception of the country abroad is mentioned most, but the strong dollar and slowing global economy are factors as well — yet the resilience of our sector continues to astound," the U.S. Travel Association's president and CEO Roger Dow said in a statement.
"Tourism marketing efforts at the federal, state, and local level undoubtedly deserve a large measure of credit, and policymakers need to be aware of the large dividends these programs are paying for economic activity, jobs, and tax revenues."
Besides the rollout of Trump's travel ban, the Department of Homeland Security instituted new aviation security measures this year that included a laptop ban for certain airports, The Hill noted.
The index, however, also projects there will be a slowdown later this year; the six-month forecast predicts U.S. travel volume will likely grow around 1.8 percent through November, with domestic travel rising by about 2.2 percent and international travel dropping slightly.
"There remains the possibility of unintended consequences from President Trump's policies related to immigration and international relations," according to the report. "Looking ahead, these factors are expected to negatively impact international inbound travel."
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