As the Trump administration's immigration crackdown intensifies, measures such as entry refusal, arrest, detention, and deportation of US tourists and permanent residents from around the world are increasing. Concerns are being raised that this trend of travelers avoiding visits to the US due to these fears will significantly impact the American economy as the number of arrivals sharply decreases.

According to recent reports from foreign news outlets such as USA Today and Bloomberg News, the number of foreign arrivals in the first three months of this year decreased by 4.4% compared to the same period last year. In March alone, the decline was 10%. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, considered the world's busiest airport, saw 189,973 foreign passengers between April 1st and May 7th, a decrease of approximately 5% compared to the same period last year.

Analysts suggest that the decline in travelers is due to the US immigration authorities' strengthened entry screening for immigrants and tourists. There have been changes such as immigration officers asking aggressive questions and scrutinizing visas more rigorously. Cases of checking applicants' mobile phones and social media accounts during the screening process, as well as detention and deportation, are also increasing.

Bloomberg News reported that "approximately 37,000 people were detained and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) between the beginning of this year and April 22nd." This equates to about 450 deportations per day.

Experts worry that the decrease in overseas visitors could have a serious long-term impact on the US economy, as travel and tourism is a major industry accounting for 2.5% of the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Hicham Jaddoud, a professor at the University of Southern California's Bovard College, stated, "We are seeing that tourists who used to come to the US are changing their direction and finding other destinations. This will affect repeat visits and customer acquisition costs. Everything is being shaken."

Previously, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) had projected a significant increase in foreign arrivals this year, following a 9.2% increase in visitors last year (72.4 million) compared to the previous year (66.3 million). However, cancellations are occurring across the tourism industry, including business, leisure, and family travel. Professor Jaddoud noted, "Cancellations affect all elements related to tourism, such as hotels and restaurants."

Last year, spending by foreign visitors to the US amounted to $2.9 trillion, creating approximately 15 million jobs, including indirect service sectors such as hotel staff and taxi drivers.

Canadian travelers, who constitute the largest group of annual visitors to the US, spent approximately $20.5 billion (about 29.6 trillion KRW) last year alone. A mere 10% decrease would result in an estimated loss of $2.1 billion (about 3 trillion KRW).

Canadians are reportedly avoiding travel to the US. Anti-American sentiment has grown in Canada due to President Trump's pre-election remarks about potentially merging Canada as the "51st state" and his pressure for tariff increases. Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had urged Canadians to "travel within Canada instead of the US."

Currently, flight bookings on Canada-US routes have decreased by about 70% compared to the same period last year, a significant drop compared to the 3.5% reduction in flights by airlines. One analysis firm stated, "The ongoing uncertainty related to widespread trade disputes suggests that travelers are postponing bookings."

However, domestic travel agencies in Korea have reported no cases of their citizens being denied entry to the US due to the strengthened procedures. Multiple travel agency representatives stated that "so far, there have been no cases of US entry being denied to travelers sent by our agencies."

Governments around the world are urging their travelers to exercise extra caution due to the US authorities' intensified entry screening. The Korean Embassy in the US also advised, "We ask that our citizens be mindful not to experience unexpected disadvantages due to the recent strengthening of illegal immigrant crackdowns by the US administration."

Now, I will proceed to research additional information and then craft a 2000-word news column in English incorporating the provided details and the new findings. I will focus on the broader implications for the US economy, the chilling effect on international travel, and the global perception of the United States as a welcoming destination.

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]