Delays and confusion at US Customs driving millions of travellers away

Embarrassingly lengthy and inefficient customs and entry procedures at airports are putting millions of people off travelling to the US.

That was the finding of a major survey by the Consensus Research Group and the US Travel Association.

It found one in three visitors to the US say they have experienced a customs process they believe is "inconsistent, confusing or embarrassing".

"As the US spends millions to recapture the world’s interest and inspire international travellers to visit, we are failing to address a galling entry experience that is driving 43% of our guests to tell others to avoid travel to our country," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association.

He said this means at least 100 million overseas travellers are receiving the message to avoid travel to the US, costing the economy at least $95 billion in total output and 518,900 jobs.

Major gateway airports reported waits of two to three hours to clear Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Those delays are expected to grow as CBP is forced to scrap overtime and furlough staff in the US government’s massive sequestration budget cuts.

The survey found:
* 43% say they will recommend to others to avoid a trip to the US because of the entry process;
* Visitors to the US report that they tell, on average, eight others about their travel experiences – good or bad – creating a multiplying effect to the potential impact of their experiences
* One in three thought that the US is "falling behind other countries" or was even the "worst" they have ever seen in their customs process;
* 44% of business travellers say that they will not visit in the next five years because of the entry process;
* Two-thirds of travellers said the US would be a more attractive destination if customs lines and wait times were shorter;
* 84% believe the US government could fix the process; and
* One in seven report that they have missed a connection because of delays at customs, causing them to cancel hotel reservations, car rentals and other activities.
* two in three said eliminating long lines and wait times was their top priority for making the US a more attractive travel destination.

"CBP officers are hardworking public servants who deserve the resources necessary to process millions of overseas travellers," said Dow.

"We are calling on Congress and the Obama Administration to immediately provide the resources necessary to efficiently process our nation’s guests."

The US Travel Association believes an investment in 1,000 additional CBP officers – at a cost of approximately $150 million – could help to meet a 30-minute standard for processing guests and realize tens of billions in new traveller spending.

Consensus Research Group conducted the online survey among a sample of 1,200 overseas travelers in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, China and Brazil, who had visited the US in the last five years.

From January to October of 2012 it completed 200 interviews in each country, with samples weighted proportionately to each country’s volume of visitors to the US.

by Bev Fearis