Posted on 07/28/2025 12:37:53 PM PDT by DallasBiff
Good point. I missed the word “expects” in that sentence.
Fewer foreign women arriving to give birth to anchor babies...
The article is opinion based on speculation.
awesome, maybe the cities can come up with more important ways to grow economy instead of just expecting people to come visit and pay your debts for you.
An analysis from Grok based on this prompt; “Check out an article that’s opinion asserted as fact, and is based on speculation. Note the weasel words in it”;
“Yeah, that article from VisaVerge.com does lean heavily into presenting projections and attributions as straightforward facts, while embedding a fair amount of speculation and vague qualifiers. I’ll break it down based on its content, highlighting the elements you mentioned, and then contextualize it with broader reporting on the topic for a fuller picture.
### Key Summary of the Article
The piece claims that major U.S. cities are seeing (or expecting) sharp drops in international tourism for 2025, directly tied to Trump administration policies like stricter immigration enforcement, border controls, tariffs, trade tensions, and “America First” rhetoric—including rollbacks on social issues like LGBTQ rights that allegedly sour global perceptions. Specific figures include:
- New York City: 2 million fewer international visitors (a 17% drop), leading to a $4 billion loss in tourism spending.
- Los Angeles and San Francisco: Each facing a 9% decline in international arrivals.
- Other cities like Miami, Orlando, Chicago, and Honolulu: Significant hits, especially in hospitality and theme parks, with broader state-level impacts in places like Texas and Nevada.
- Overall national projection: $12.5 billion to $29 billion drop in international visitor spending.
It attributes these to factors like longer visa processing times (up to 6-12 months in some cases), increased scrutiny even for Visa Waiver Program countries, retaliatory travel advisories from nations like Germany, and a 40% drop in Canadian bookings. The article suggests recovery might not happen until 2027-2029, depending on policy shifts. It cites some official resources (e.g., U.S. Department of State visa info and the National Travel and Tourism Office) for general background but relies mostly on “analysis by VisaVerge.com” for the decline figures and projections. No external studies or data sets are deeply referenced for the core claims, and there’s no clear publication date on the page.
### Opinions Asserted as Facts
The article often blurs the line between analysis and declarative statements, treating causal links as established without robust backing:
- It states there’s an “overwhelming consensus among industry leaders” that Trump’s policies are the “main reasons” for the decline, but doesn’t quote any leaders, surveys, or reports to support this—it’s just asserted.
- Claims like “negative headlines around LGBTQ rights and other social issues have influenced traveler sentiment, especially from Europe and Canada” are presented as direct causes, implying a proven connection without evidence like polls or studies.
- Broader assertions, such as tariffs leading to “retaliatory advisories and negative perceptions,” are framed as fact, but they’re based on internal interpretation rather than cited data.
This gives the piece an opinionated tone, positioning Trump policies as the unambiguous villain without exploring alternatives like economic factors (e.g., a strong U.S. dollar making travel pricier) or global trends.
### Based on Speculation
Much of the content is forward-looking and hypothetical, relying on “projections” and “expectations” rather than hard 2025 data (which, as of July 2025, is only partially available anyway). Examples:
- Recovery timelines are purely speculative: “Full recovery... is not expected until 2027–2029,” “Recovery could take several years,” or “No clear timeline for recovery, with continued uncertainty tied to federal policy changes.”
- Projections like the $12.5-29 billion national drop or city-specific percentages feel like estimates, not confirmed stats, and are credited to the site’s own analysis.
This speculative bent makes sense for a mid-year article about an ongoing year, but it amps up the drama without grounding in finalized numbers.
### Weasel Words and Vague Language
The writing is peppered with qualifiers that soften claims while allowing bold headlines—classic weasel tactics to imply authority without full commitment:
- “Some travelers” (e.g., “Some travelers from countries in the Visa Waiver Program can apply for ESTA, but even this process has seen increased scrutiny”)—vague on who or how many.
- “Expected” or “projected” repeatedly for declines (e.g., “expects 2 million fewer,” “projected $4 billion decrease”), which hedges on whether these are happening or just forecasted.
- “Could” for impacts (e.g., “Recovery could take several years”).
- “Analysis suggests” or similar internal nods (e.g., “based on analysis by VisaVerge.com”), which avoids naming external experts.
- Phrases like “reports suggest” aren’t explicit, but the overall reliance on “uncertainty” and “depends on changes” dodges firm accountability.
These make the article feel evasive, building a narrative without ironclad proof.
### Broader Context and Verification
VisaVerge.com appears to focus on immigration, visas, and related news, often highlighting issues like bias, enforcement, and civil rights (e.g., stories on hate crime hotlines or ICE links to extremism), which might suggest a pro-immigrant lens that colors its take on Trump policies. That said, the core idea of a 2025 tourism dip isn’t unique to this site—multiple reports echo similar projections, often citing groups like the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) or Oxford Economics. For instance:
- International visitor spending is forecasted to drop 7% to about $169 billion in 2025, down from $181 billion in 2024, making the U.S. the only major economy seeing a decline amid global recovery.
- Specific policy links: Tariffs on Mexico/Canada, border rhetoric, and a “Trump Slump” are blamed in sources like Forbes (up to $29 billion loss) and Bloomberg, with drops in visitors from Canada (20%), Germany (28%), and the UK (14%).
- City-level: NYC’s 2 million fewer foreign visitors aligns with estimates from NYC Tourism + Conventions.
- Early data shows trends like a 10% drop from South America in March 2025 and declining Canadian visits by May.
However, not all sources pin it solely on Trump—some mention the strong dollar or lingering post-COVID effects as co-factors. And domestic travel is booming (e.g., 92% of Americans planning trips in 2025), so the “decline” is mostly inbound international. Critics might argue the policy blame is overstated or partisan, but the numbers from neutral bodies like WTTC substantiate a real downturn. Overall, the VisaVerge piece amplifies a trending story with its own spin, but it’s not fabricating the basics—just dressing them up with speculation and hedges. If this is part of a larger pattern you’re spotting in media, it’s a solid example of how forecasts can masquerade as current crises.”
bkmk
The theme parks are jacking their prices up so high, fewer people are going.
Maybe people are tired of woke theme parks, but not Florida.
IOW, that's NOT the reason. Lying DNC media shills ping.
- Albuquerque - crime
- Atlanta - crime
- Baltimore - crime
- Birmingham - crime
- Boston - crime
- Chicago - crime
- Cincinnati - crime
- Cleveland - crime
- Dallas - crime
- Denver - crime
- Detroit - crime
- Hartford - crime
- Houston - crime
- Jacksonville - crime
- Kansas City, MO - crime
- Las Vegas - crime
- Los Angeles - crime
- Louisville - crime
- Memphis - crime
- Miami - crime
- Milwaukee - crime
- Minneapolis - crime
- Nashville, TN - crime
- New Orleans - crime
- New York City - crime
- Orlando, FL - crime
- Philadelphia - crime
- Pittsburgh - crime
- Portland - crime
- Raleigh, NC - crime
- San Francisco - crime
- Seattle - crime
- St. Louis, MO - crime
- St. Paul, MN - crime
- Virginia Beach - crime
- Washington, DC - crime
I recall seeing a news article with picture. There was a man squatting and crapping on the sidewalk not 20 from people eating. Someone should have rubbed his face in his feces. That is why people don’t go to cities to visit.
People don’t want to step on needles and human feces anymore because Trump.
There's no place in North America to compare with the natural beauty and history of California: Mountains, big trees, coastline, gold rush, desert, and beaches.
Sure, the state's politics is a hot mess, but away from the big cities, the people are pretty normal.
Among the don't miss sights: View across the LA Basin at night from Griffith Observatory; Humboldt Redwoods State Park, about 2 or 3 hours north of San Francisco; Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point; Highway One, especially Big Sur; Mailibu; Lake Tahoe; Greystone Mansion; Santa Monica Pier; Morro Bay; Monterey Bay Aquarium; Death Valley.
You won't be disappointed.
Recalling your old threads inquiring as to what everyone's reading, I'm a 100 pages into David Brinkley's Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.