CIUDAD JUAREZ - The number of international tourists traveling to the United States has declined, with one exception, Mexico.
After a dip at the beginning of the year, visitors from Mexico are back. In fact, Mexican tourism may be the only bright spot heading into the holiday season when many travelers plan trips to visit relatives, enjoy entertainment and amusement parks and, of course, Christmas shopping.
The increase comes despite new restrictions, more scrutiny and higher visa fees imposed by the Trump administration.
Through August, about 3 million visitors arrived by air from Mexico.That’s up slightly over the same period last year, according to data from the National Travel and Tourism Office. The number of people driving through land ports of entry grew by 13 percent this year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Here in Ciudad Juarez, many line up at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, hoping their application for a visitor visa will be approved. On a recent morning the area near the massive building was bustling with activity. There are hotels and restaurants, and agencies helping people prepare their visitor visa applications. The U.S. consulate in this Mexican border city has the largest visa operation in the world issuing everything from work permits to family and tourist visas.
“I want to visit my sister in Indiana,” said Carolina. She, like most people outside the consulate, only wanted to be identified by their first names because of concern that speaking to a reporter might affect approval of their visa.
Several people want a visitor visa to go shopping just across the border in Texas. One young woman was renewing her visa so she could participate in a marathon at Disney World in January.
Since President Trump took office this year even those renewing a visitor visa have to show up for an in-person interview. And in October the cost increased from $185 to $435 because of a new visa integrity fee. On top of there’s a price hike for the required entry form tracking arrivals from $6 to $30. Plus, authorities are checking applicants’ social media feeds to see if they are critical of Trump administration policies.
“People are being double and triple inspected upon entry,” said Tony Payan, Director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute.
And he said the higher cost and new restrictions on everything from student to skilled worker visas can be a deterrent for those who want to come to the U.S. legally.
“I think the basic message is that you’re not welcome in the United States, even tourists who often come and spend money in the country are not welcome.”
The decline in international tourism this year is expected to cost the U.S. $5.7 billion compared to the previous year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
Historically, neighboring Canada and Mexico have been the top countries for international visitors. This year, travel from Canada plummeted in part because of tariffs and President Trump repeatedly saying he wants to make Canada the 51st state.
But visitors from Mexico keep traveling to the U.S.
Every autumn, Raul Vargas’ tour company brings busloads of football fans from the Mexican industrial city Monterrey to Dallas to see the Cowboys play.
“Well, people are not very happy,” Vargas said. He said the reason includes the higher cost of visas and their team’s mediocre record. “Yet, even if the team loses, they can still go shopping.”
Border states like Texas, Arizona and California rely on visitors from Mexico. Malls in major cities as well as those right on the border benefit.
“Those consumers are very important to us,” said Gina Slechta, director of marketing for Horizon Group Properties. The company operates shopping centers across the country. Two of their busiest outlet are located in the border cities Laredo and El Paso. Slechta estimates up to 65% of customers at the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso on weekends are from Mexico.
“It is not unusual for us to see people come into the shopping center from Mexico with many family members and friends. They’ve come here in their big SUVs.”
This year, the mall is ready to welcome holiday shoppers with special events, selfies with a bilingual Santa and a snow machine that creates a winter wonderland in the desert southwest at sunset.
Despite the higher visa cost and new requirements Slechta believes visitors from Mexico will show up this holiday season.
“When it comes to making Christmas special for their children and their family members,”she said, “that's someplace people do not make those sacrifices.”
