Originally Posted by
oceanscape
I feel like 95% of Americans don't even realise the true extent of the ban? I cancelled an Airbnb reservation and, on explaining the reason why, the host (who, BTW, is a VP at an investment bank) replied with something like "I do a lot of business in EU and UK and visit frequently, as long as you are vaccinated or are happy to do a COVID test you're free to enter". I then had to explain that this is not the case if you aren't a US citizen and he was completely bewildered and shocked. Had virtually identical experiences with a couple of call centre workers in the US too, when calling to cancel various reservations. Bizarre.
I think that is probably true. From an economic perspective, tourism is booming in the USA this summer. Air fares, rental cars, and accommodations are high. In fact I just took a trip to Massachusetts and paid more for a rental car than I have ever. I had difficulty getting into some restaurants. Most of the accommodation was booked solid, so I ended up staying in a less desirable location. I surmise that overall the US does not need tourists from abroad -- the pent-up demand from Americans is already using up full capacity this summer.