President Trump’s executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries has cost the travel industry about $185 million in lost business, the Global Business Travel Association says.
GBTA estimates that was the amount lost in the week following the executive order which is currently on hold pending yet more legal wrangling.
The association said travel business grew 1.2% in the preceding week and dipped by 2.2% after the ban was announced.
A previous survey by GBTA found about 30% of members expect to see less overseas business travel during the next three months and almost as many believe low demand could linger for the rest of the year.
On Thursday a federal appeals panel refused to reinstate the ban, saying the administration had offered ‘no evidence’ that anyone from the blacklisted countries had committed at terrorist act in the US.
Minutes later Trump fired off yet another Tweet: “See you in court, the security of our nation is at stake!”
That likely means next stop the Supreme Court.
The GBTA fears more uncertainty ahead and lost business if the ban is eventually reinstated.
“Upholding the travel ban will clearly cause a rippling effect through the travel industry, ultimately hurting the economy. It also unleashes travel disruption like we saw when the order was first implemented,” GBTA’s executive director Michael W. McCormick told The Hill.
Yan Baczkowski 