This was supposed to be a big year for US tourism. But long wait times at airports and rising anti-American sentiment are causing some travelers to reconsider their plans.
Travelers at US airports around the country recently experienced wait times up to four hours, the longest in the 24-year history of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The culprit was a partial government shutdown, which is now entering its seventh week and is the longest in US history.
The shutdown left TSA screeners working without pay for more than a month, prompting thousands to call out of work and more than 500 officers to quit. While a presidential directive signed on 30 March restored TSA workers’ pay and aims to cut airport wait times significantly, the headlines and photos of long queues are the latest in a string of headwinds facing US travel and tourism.
