‘Fortress America’ keeping the US safe, tourists out

By eTN Staff writer
Representatives of US travel industry coalition called Discover America Partnership (DAP) has told a Senate panel at Capitol Hill, Washington the industry needs federal help to boost tourism from abroad.

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, there has been a 17 percent drop in the number of overseas travelers from overseas to the US, resulting in the loss of almost 200,000 jobs and economic loss of about US$93 billion.

“Visa hassles, unfriendly customs officials and weak promotion have kept international visitors out of the US despite a booming world travel market,” Stevan Porter, an industry representative from InterContinental Hotels Group, told the panel last week.

“While strengthening our national security by fixing our broken visa and entry systems, America is experiencing a travel crisis, one that hurts our economy, national security and global standing.
“Asians and Europeans now see the US as ‘Fortress America’ which we will have to work overtime to undo.”
In India and Brazil, which have four US consulates each, a US visa applicant need to travel long distances and make repeated trips, said Joanathan Tisch, chairman of Loews Hotels and an industry coalition member.
“During a six-month period in 2006, 97 out of 211 visa-issuing posts reported waiting times in excess of 30 days, and 9 applicants had to wait for more than 90 days.

“In November 2006, Indian applicants had to wait for as long 184 days,” added Tisch.  “Yet, we have the State Department citing its own goal of waiting times of no longer than 30 days.”
The coalition has called for the US State Department to "beef up" its staffs at consulates and create "rapid response" teams to process visa applications within 30 days.

DAP representatives told the Senate panel, the industry needs federal help to solve visa problems, deal with travelers faster at entry points and create a targeted promotion campaign.
“Outside of heavy tourist areas tourism is seen as a special interest issue. But I think we can set up a program where we can convince our colleagues,” said Senator Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Senate commerce committee.
None of the top 10 states and territories in the US reached the level of overseas visitors seen in 2000, added the DAP statement.
The panel was informed even New York, the top-10 city visited by overseas travelers, registered a growth of only about 96,000 to 5.8 million tourists.

In 2005, Hawaii, the best-known US holiday destination, received about 472,000 less visitors than in 2000. Even Guam received 198,000 less in the same period.

Added Senator Inouye, who is from Hawaii and whose state is one of the hardest hit by the loss of overseas tourists, “I don’t think any proposal presented will be approved.  If the US is going to make this a much more major industry, we will have to promote it. But it isn’t going to be easy. Every state has a stake in it.”

February 7, 2007   Posted in: United States