Travel to the US is down by 17% since 9/11

[cynatnite]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 17 percent drop in overseas travelers to the United States since the September 11 attacks has cost the country more than $15 billion in lost taxes and nearly 200,000 jobs, a study showed on Tuesday.

Since the September 11 attacks, the United States has tightened security measures and toughened its visa and entry requirements. As a result, the country was ranked as the world's most unfriendly to visitors in a survey conducted last year of travelers from 16 nations.

"Our economic security is suffering from a drastic decline in overseas travelers and we are missing an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen America's image around the globe," said Stevan Porter, president of Intercontinental Hotels Group and chairman of the association's Discover America Partnership. "We are in the midst of a travel crisis."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070123/us_nm/usa_travel_dc

[TornadoTN]

1. Can't say I blame them for opting out of coming here

With the way our government has been acting over the past few years, I would wonder about the sanity of the American people as well. Hopefully, with the Democratic takeover and some progress being made in some areas, the world will see that not all of us are responsible for the worldwide tragedy.

[GliderGuider]

2. I'm one of them.

SWMBO and I made an agreement after the Patriot Act was signed that we would set neither foot upon nor wing over American soil until a democratic president was elected and the United States rejoined the league of civilized nations.

Praying for impeachment north of the border.

Go Fitz!

[Double T]

6. The new passport requirement will further decrease the number......

of visitors and travelers to the USA. Someone save 'US' from our brilliant government!!

[DaveJ]

3. But fewer leave and stay to "do the jobs we don't want"

Viva la banana republic.

[Solly Mack]

4. Who wants to come to a country where you risk being detained and shipped

to another country for "aggressive interrogation techniques" simply because your name might be the same as someone on the watch list? Or you "look" suspicious?

I know I wouldn't.

[bdamomma]

5. we are definitely all alone

[Benhurst]

7. How dare those damn foreigners refuse to come to

das Homeland for their pathetic little vacations!

Maybe they'll think twice when we add their puny nations to the Axis of Evil list.

[Warpy]

8. Meanwhile, due to the fall of the dollar,

those Euros would go 40% farther on doing the tourist thing, upgrading hotels and shopping if we still made much worth buying.

That it's not happening is a gauge to the depth of the disgust felt for this country by people around the world.