travel economic impacts

U.S.-Canada Border Barrier: It’s All Politics

Published October 8, 2021 | By Clark Norton

By Bob Waite

Love the beach? Next time! Photo from Visit Florida

Ottawa – On August 9, 2021, Canada began allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents currently residing in the United States who have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days prior to entering the country.

The United States, on the other hand, has yet to reciprocate. Canadians continue to be barred from crossing the land border. This despite the fact that Canadian vaccination rates are significantly higher than those of their American counterparts.

So what gives?

In a word, politics.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the border opening not long before calling an election. There seems little doubt that he heeded calls from the tourist and hospitality industries to open things up before the summer slipped completely away.

Politics was also undoubtedly behind the American decision to keep the border shut tight – although it is impossible to get an official U.S. government spokesperson to… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Canada, Politics of travel, Seasonal travel, travel economic impacts | Tagged Border disputes, Canadian snowbirds, Covid-19 vaccines, Justin Trudeau, U.S.-Canada border restrictions, U.S.-Canadian border, U.S.-Canadian border closing, Vaccine politics | 2 Comments

“Vaccine Passports”: A Panacea for Pandemic Travel?

Published January 26, 2021 | By Clark Norton

Kyoto women in traditional garb. — When can we return to currently closed-off countries like Japan? Vaccine passports may help. Photo by Clark Norton

After a year when the COVID-19 virus has devastated the world’s tourism industry and thwarted vacation plans of millions of travelers, vaccinations have arrived that offer hope that 2021 may usher in some return to normalcy.

And none too soon for baby boomers, who have seen precious travel time and opportunities slipping away: cruises cancelled, tours postponed, bucket-list destinations closing their borders.

The fact that all this has been necessary to curb the ravages of the killer virus doesn’t make it any less painful — especially when you factor in the economic toll on tourism-dependent destinations. Estimates are that one in ten jobs worldwide are travel- and tourism-related.

And it’s not just airlines, cruise lines and big hotels that are hurting. As Scott Keyes, CEO of Scott’s Cheap Flights, puts it:… Continue reading →

Posted in Airline travel, apps, Baby boomer travel, health, travel economic impacts, travel health, Travel safety, Uncategorized | Tagged Covid-19 travel, Covid-19 vaccines, pandemic travel, Scott's Cheap Flights, Travel restrictions, Vaccine passports | Leave a comment

Overtourism: The New Travel Plague?

Published August 29, 2018 | By Clark Norton

Prague’s famous Charles Bridge is often jam-packed with tourists. Photo by Clark Norton

You may have experienced it yourself when battling humongous lines to enter San Marco in Venice, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, or the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, or when you found yourself in a wave of fellow travelers struggling to get a peek at the changing of the guard at palaces in London, Athens, or Prague.

You may have been put off by hordes of drunken revelers in Amsterdam, Mallorca, or Berlin (of which, we trust, you were not one yourself).

You may have found small Alaskan ports or Croatian islands too overrun by your fellow cruise ship passengers to appreciate the beauty that attracted you to such cruise itineraries in the first place.

You may have sought out privacy in Iceland’s hot springs, only to find them packed with Game of Thrones fans drawn… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Cruises, cultural travel, Europe, Film Locations, Foreign travel, travel economic impacts, vacation rentals | Tagged Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Game of Thrones, Iceland, Kyoto, Overtourism, Prague, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism, Venice | 11 Comments

What’s Behind Drop in Visits to U.S?

Published January 11, 2018 | By Clark Norton

Visits to Wyoming’s Grand Teton and other national parks may take a hit. Photo by Dennis Cox/WorldViews

According to the National Travel and Tourism Office, there was a four percent decline in the number of international visitors to the U.S. during the first six months of 2017 compared to the first six months of 2016.

And according to a recent International Trade Report released by the Commerce Department, spending by international travelers to the U.S. decreased by 3.3 percent through November 2017 compared to November 2016. Total spending by international travelers to the U.S. came to $246 billion, according to figures from the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), a trade group representing travel industry members.

That 3.3 percent decrease translates to a $4.6 billion loss to the U.S. economy as well as 40,000 jobs in tourism-related industries (hotels, restaurants, transportation, stores, tour operators, travel agencies, etc.)

But the ripple effects… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, travel economic impacts, Travel safety | Tagged foreign visitors, Trump adminstration, USTA, Visit USA | Leave a comment

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.