EuroWire May 2017

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Transatlantic cable
May 2017 27
Keeping that level high is what Bloomberg describes as “a steady
drumbeat of news and policy proclamations” seeming likely
to damage the $250 billion American travel industry and its
roughly 15 million USA employees. For example:
† Unpleasant initial contacts between the USA president and
leaders of Australia, Germany, Mexico and China, resulting in
negative publicity “in countries that send lots of travellers to
America”;
† Two majority-Muslim-nation travel bans, with protests
and news coverage “that made for a global public relations
disaster.” The rst ban, suspended by the courts, resulted in
the detention of foreign travellers and airport chaos. The
second, somewhat altered, ban was frozen before it could
take e ect;
† An airline cabin restriction on electronic devices for people
ying from airports in eight nations;
† Following a 6th March order from the White House to
enhance visa screening, the announcement of a State
Department policy mandating extra vetting of visa
applicants in nations that review US-bound travellers. Noted
Mr Bachman, “This includes inspection of social media
accounts for some.”
The new policy covers nations – among them Brazil, Mexico,
China, Argentina, Colombia and South Africa – that generate
substantial business and tourist tra c. The USTA estimates that
15 million travellers a year will be a ected.
† Market strategy rm Tourism Economics LLC, a unit of
Britain’s Oxford Economics, told Bloomberg that Mr Trump’s
rhetoric and unpopularity abroad will likely reduce visitor
arrivals in the USA by 4.3 million this year.
The popular destinations New York, Los Angeles and Miami
are especially susceptible to any declines.
According to the Washington-based US Travel Association,
during the administration of President Barack Obama
the USA saw an increase in international arrivals from
51 million in 2006 to nearly 78 million in 2015. These
statistics prompted a coda to Mr Bachman’s article: “Some
of that may be attributable to Brand USA, a marketing
organisation formed by Obama’s Commerce Department to
help sell America as an international travel destination.”
Notes on steel
† Nucor Corp (Charlotte, North Carolina), announced on 22nd
March that it will be investing $85 million to upgrade the
rolling mill at its steel bar mill in Marion, Ohio. Nucor Steel
Marion Inc is Ohio’s largest producer of rebar and signpost,
capable of producing over 400,000 tons annually. The mill
recently marked its 100th year of steelmaking.
† As reported on 27th March on by Michael
Luciano, Arkansas-based Big River Steel announced its
collaboration with the arti cial intelligence company
on what they believe will be the rst “smart” steel
mill in the United States.
Big River and its San Francisco-based partner de ne a
smart factory as one in which AI and Internet of Things
(IoT) connectivity play an integral role in the majority