The number of tourists from China who are travelling to the United States has been falling since last year, putting growing pressure on America's economy, reports Xinhua News Agency.

 

新华社报道，从去年开始前往美国旅游的中国游客数量已下降，这对美国经济的压力越来越大。

 

China is currently the world's largest source of outbound tourists, and was one of the largest sources of tourists to the United States last year, according to the Xinhua report.

 

But data from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office showed that the number of tourists from China traveling to the United States fell by 6 percent last year - the first drop in 15 years.

 

On top of the slowing of the world economy and the appreciation¹ of the U.S. dollar, the ongoing² China-U.S. trade tensions are believed to be another major challenge to the tourism industry in the United States.

 

"We are always watching it and looking at it, because those things tend to have an impact, particularly as related to travel policy," said Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA, an organization dedicated³ to marketing⁴ the United States as a premier⁵ travel destination.

 

International tourists provide about 1.2 million jobs in various industries in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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