NEWS · B1 Level - Part 2

Massive Drop Seen in Tourist Visits to U S

Stunning images of near empty passenger planes are popping up on social media. These international flights have many tourists flying to the USA practically…

Level: B1 · 28 sentences

Transcript

  1. Stunning images of near empty passenger planes are popping up on social media.
  2. These international flights have many tourists flying to the USA practically alone.
  3. Shauna Massengill flew from London to Chicago.
  4. Look, barely anyone on board.
  5. There was nobody there. There was nobody in my row.
  6. It was really shocking. I've never been on a flight like that.
  7. This flight from Toronto to New York is also practically empty.
  8. And a flight from Toronto to Fort Meyers.
  9. Row after row of empty seats.
  10. Here in California, international travel is predicted to decline by 9% this year,
  11. driven by higher tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and negative sentiment toward the US.
  12. CBS travel editor Peter Greenberg.
  13. The drop in numbers of Europeans traveling to the US is staggering and depending on the country...
  14. it is down as much as 42% over last year.
  15. That's just Europeans not traveling to the US.
  16. He says the numbers are worse for our neighbors to the north.
  17. Canadians traveling to the US down as much as 75%.
  18. You're coming in from Montreal?
  19. Was the flight full?
  20. No, it was about 70% full.
  21. Have you noticed amongst your fellow Canadians that they are less interested in coming here?
  22. Yes, many of them.
  23. Here in New York, tourism is also being hit big time.
  24. Once again, driven by negative sentiment toward the USA.
  25. This year, 400,000 fewer tourists are expected to visit the Big Apple.
  26. But these visitors from France say they're happy they're here.
  27. And you're having fun?
  28. Yeah. I love America.