Why Trump is missing the mark by focusing on goods instead of services

David Dodwell says by zeroing in on the trade imbalance between China and the US, Trump is ignoring the huge potential for US exports in services such as tourism.

For example, look where these services exports come from. Over US$290 billion of services exports (about 40 per cent of total services exports) came from tourism – 76 million foreign tourists visited the US in 2016, underpinning close to 10 million jobs. China is today the source of more international travellers than any other country – more than 150 million last year – and this total is growing at more than 5 million a year. In 2016, just 3 million of these travellers went to the US – but they spent US$33 billion, by far the highest per capita spending of any country worldwide, according to the Germany-based China Outbound Research Institute.

At this rate, attracting an extra 1 million Chinese visitors would lift US tourism exports by US$11 billion a year. Add 10 million over the coming decade – not an unreasonable target – and this amounts to services exports worth an extra US$110 billion a year, adding literally millions of new jobs in the US. By poisoning relations with China, Trump’s trade war is putting much of this potential at risk: imagine how easy it is for China to suddenly make it harder to get US visas.

It is intriguing that Trump is so keenly obsessed with US goods exports to China worth US$130 billion a year, while wholly neglecting the upside potential of tourism and other services worth twice as much.

www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2161130/why-trump-missing-mark-focusing-goods-instead

PUBLISHED : Saturday, 25 August, 2018, 4:01am

UPDATED : Saturday, 25 August, 2018, 6:58am

Thailand tourism

Thailand, also known as the Land of Smiles, is a jewel of Southeast Asia. Developed enough to provide most comforts yet still wild enough to offer off-the-beaten path adventure, Thailand is a country ripe with opportunity for once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. Whether you start with the world-class beaches in the south or the mountain villages in the north, Thailand will not disappoint.

Cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai are bustling hives of activity and commerce, but you haven't really seen the country until you've trekked in the mountains or enjoyed some face-time with elephants or the bold monkeys (who will steal your lunch as soon as look at you). Thailand's attractions are diverse and each provides a rewarding and memorable experience in its own way.

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/thailand-tha.htm

https://www.tourismthailand.org/home

Morocco tourism

The country's attractions can be divided into seven regions:

• the four Imperial cities — the four historical capital cities of Morocco: Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat
• Marrakech
• Casablanca — Morocco's largest city; home of the Hassan II Mosque, which has the world's tallest minaret
• Tangier and the surrounding area
• Ouarzazate — a noted film-making location; the fortified village (ksar) of Ait Benhaddou west of the city is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site
• Agadir and its beach resorts
• Tarfaya and its beach resorts

Source:(www.en.wikipedia.org)

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco

http://www.visitmorocco.com/index.php/eng/

Greece tourism

Greece is located in south-eastern Europe, on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula (Haemus peninsula); it lies at the meeting point of three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa. Greece borders to the North on Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.), to the Northwest on Albania, to the Northeast on Turkey; to the West it is washed by the Ionian Sea; to the South by the Mediterranean Sea and to the East by the Aegean Sea.

The total area of Greece is 131,957 km² and consists of three main geographic areas:

a peninsular mainland (that extends from the region of Central Greece on the South to the region of Thrace on the North) being the biggest geographic feature of the country

the Peloponnese peninsula that is separated from the mainland by the canal of the Corinth Isthmus,

and around 6.000 islands and islets, scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Sea, most of them grouped in clusters, that constitute the unique Greek archipelago. Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades are some of the famous and popular islands and island clusters in Greece.

Eighty percent of the country consists of mountains or hills, making Greece one of the most mountainous countries of Europe; furthermore, it has 16.000 kilometres of coastline of which 7500 are found around the thousands islands of the Greek archipelago, a truly unparalleled phenomenon on the European continent.

www.visitgreece.gr

Global Tourism