Is the political climate in the U.S. impacting travel? One D.C.-area travel agent said when it comes to Americans booking trips overseas, interest is still up, with bookings higher this year than last year.
Is the political climate in the U.S. impacting travel? One D.C.-area travel agent said when it comes to Americans booking trips overseas, interest is still up and bookings are higher this year than last year.
This year, clients still have a lot of questions about international travel, according to Damian McCabe with McCabe World Travel in McLean, Virginia.
“They’re saying, ‘Gee, I’m a little bit worried. Our government is not well perceived in some cases around the world and are we going to encounter anyone who’s not friendly to us?’” McCabe said.
McCabe said she tells clients to be friendly to anyone they come across, and they’ll likely be respected back. Expect political questions, though, she said.
“American clients will be questioned about what their perception is about what’s going on. People may answer that in two very different ways. And I think staying as middle-of-the-road as you can, no matter what your flavor is, is really important,” McCabe said.
She strongly encourages those traveling to not get into heated debates or try to push any agenda.
“Be respectful. If people ask questions, answer as much as you’re comfortable with, but don’t be inflammatory,” she said.
One change in her guidance this year is encouraging clients traveling abroad to not wear political clothing or decals. She also discourages displaying the American flag on clothing or on luggage.
“We just think that that’s a little too overt,” McCabe said. “I think Europeans are more curious than anything else about how the Americans they’re interacting with are proceeding all of this.”
She said with that guidance in mind, the clients who have traveled to Europe so far this year said the trip was enjoyable.
“We haven’t had a single client come home and say, ‘Wow, my enjoyment of this trip was affected by how we were treated,’” McCabe said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
