There's a U.S. Travel Deficit, Too – Hotel CEOs Call for a Fix

Major hotel CEOs say the U.S. has lost significant ground in attracting international visitors. They also say they are focused on expansion in high-growth markets like, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Hotel leaders say the U.S. is squandering its tourism potential — and global hotel giants are increasingly looking abroad for growth, particularly India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Anthony Capuano, CEO of Marriott International, highlighted the challenges on Monday. A decade ago, foreign travelers spent $50 billion more in the U.S. than Americans spent abroad.

That has since reversed: The U.S. now has a $50 billion deficit in international travel, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

"You would expect that would get a stronger reaction that it's gotten," Capuano said, while speaking on-stage at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum in New York.

"We've got a decade of amazing global tentpole events coming," Capuano said. "We've got World Cup. We've the LA Olympics. We have the Utah Olympics. So we've got to streamline visa p