Traveling to America is a dream come true for millions of international tourists who land here every year. With the country’s historic sights, amazing food and world class resorts, it has become a popular choice for all kinds of travellers. The tourist industry is largely supported by the American government through tourist taxes, which amount to billions of dollars annually. The politics of tourism has however come under more scrutiny by the US public as well as some leading politicians.
A Short Background To US Tourism
The U.S. is a large country with 50 states covering an area of nearly thirteen hundred thousand square miles. Major northern and eastern coastal states are New York, a world-class finance and commerce centre, and surrounding areas, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Oregon. Midwestern metropolises are Chicago, Kansas City, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Denver.
Since the increase of air travel in the 1960s onwards as well as mass immigration, the US has seen increasing traveller and tourism numbers year on year. This is due to the many different historical cities and sites to visit across the country as well as the potential for making a career/living in the United States.
How Are The Politics Of US Tourism Changing?
The politics of tourism is closely tied to the American statehood movement. Proponents of statehood believe that the tourist tax encourages tourist spending, generates jobs, and assists with infrastructure development. Opponents argue that such levies increase taxes, cost lives, and restrict freedom.
Despite the controversy, support for the tourist tax remains high amongst residents in the six states. According to a recently published study, the six states together contribute over one billion dollars in tourist tax revenue. The study was conducted by the National Tourism Center at the National Association of State Treasurers.
How Much Of An Impact Does Tourism Have?
The tourism industry is an integral part of the American economy. The National Park Service estimates that more than 22 million people visit the United States each year. In fact, the tourist tax makes up a large percentage of the federal budget for the National Park Service. The National Park Service estimates that without the tourist tax, its budget would be “severely depleted”.
One of the main reasons behind the tourist tax is the creation of the National Park Service. National Park Service operates six wildlife refuges and historic landmarks. It is also responsible for the conservation of millions of acres of land throughout the United States. The parks have been credited with preserving some of our nation’s best natural habitats. In short, it is believed that the tourist tax is essential to the successful management and operation of these important institutions. This is in part due to Americas foreign policy.
Opposition And Debate
Opponents of the tourist tax assert that the money received will be siphoned away to other unneeded programs. However, opponents do not provide any evidence that such claims are true. Even if they did, the argument would be pointless because the tourist tax goes to support many government programs and services. In short, the tourist tax is essential to the well-being of America and its citizenry.
After conducting our own research into the issue of this tax, we have found that it is largely supported by many local residents in areas of the US with particularly high tourist numbers such as New York, California , Washington and several other states. We can sympathise with the need for such a tax as whilst tourists help put money into the local economy, tourism has led to a reduction in property available to local residents for affordable prices in many urban areas. This is one of the downsides to increased tourism within the US.