US tourism’s greatest threat: not terrorists but bureaucracy
US Government official’s terrorism concerns have led to increasingly more stringent policies and procedures that have created paranoid perceptions for would-be US travelers, leading to a decline in the nation’s share of global travel, officials say.
More travelers than ever see the US as an unwelcome place.
And more travelers see US government officials as a reason not to visit: almost two thirds of those in a poll cited unwelcome overtures by tourism officials as a reason not to visit, compared to the threat of terrorism or crime, which was noted by just over half of the respondents.
“We have lost nearly 60 million international travelers since 9/11 and the problem is only getting worse,” said Discover America Partnership (DAP) Executive Director Geoff Freeman.
He said the US faces an image crisis. “In most countries, favorable opinions of America are well below 50%,” he said.
The Discover America Partnership is an effort launched in September of last year by the US tourism industry to promote tourism as a means of improving America’s image overseas. According to its website:
The group seeks to increase the number of tourists visiting the US by 10 million people per year, “creating ‘people-to-people’ communication which builds understanding in a way that no other form of communication can match.”
In response to DAP’s A Blueprint to Discover America, presented to Congress earlier this year, the US Senate has approved expansion of a visa waiver program and the recruitment of more customs officials to hasten entry procedures.
The DAP says the US$300 million required to implement the Blueprint recommendations is a small price to pay compared to the US$16.4 billion in lost tourism receipts since 2001.
US federal spending on tourism promotion (US$4 million) currently pales into insignificance compared to most other countries, including neighbors Canada (US$58.5 million) and Mexico (US$149.2 million).
Last March, however, DAP noted that efforts to increase tourism have not been as successful as hoped.
“As travel around the world skyrockets, the U.S. is mired in a slump. It is time for Congress to address this growing problem in a way that both strengthens our security and improves the efficiency of the travel process,” said Mr Freeman.
“The greatest public diplomacy tool America has is her people. Those who have visited the U.S. and interacted with the American people consistently feel more positive about the U.S. than those who have not visited,” said the DAP Web site.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports