U.S. security scares away foreign visitors (17% drop from pre-9/11 levels)

[rodeodance]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17575259/


U.S. security scares away foreign visitors
Painful visa procedures, frosty border control blamed for drop in tourists

Updated: 2:40 a.m. CT March 12, 2007

GRAND CANYON, Arizona - Maryellen Fleming-Hoffman manages a gift store on the plunging rim of the Grand Canyon, where visitors come to marvel at one of the world’s greatest attractions.

Business is good, local travel is buoyant, although one thing is different: foreign visitors to the canyon, like other U.S. tourist attractions, are no longer coming in the numbers they once did, she says.

“Overall, the number of foreign visitors are down and we’d like to see more of them,” Fleming-Hoffman told Reuters in the Hopi House store, which sells a selection of American Indian jewelry and other handicrafts.

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......
In a survey conducted by the travel industry lobby group the Discover America Partnership late last year, the United States’ scored more than twice as badly as the next region, the Middle East, in terms of travel friendliness.

[maddezmom]

1. might have more to do with the current administration than security fears

[zanne]

2. It might have something to do with American xenophobia.

I wouldn't vacation in a place that was culturally or politically hostile, either.

[Uben]

3. I don't dispute the numbers

....but, I dispute the cause. I tend to believe the cause is both financial and the fear of flying internationally rather than a fear of visiting the U.S. It's hard to say, living in the U.S. all my life, as I do not have a clear picture of what other nations are hearing about the U.S. these days. Either way, Bush has had an impact on just about every industry....mostly negative! Impeach, imprison! It's the only sane thing to do! Stop the madness now!

[Spazito]

12. For many, it IS both the increased security which is a pain but,

for the most part, it is because of the new laws put into place by the bush cabal allowing them to designate ANYONE as an enemy combatant, foreigners designated as such no longer have the right to contact their embassy, etc. The no-fly list is another reason, one can be on a no-fly list by error and CANNOT get off and, if you are on the no-fly list, you cannot even fly OVER US territory, never-mind land there.

The Arar case is the perfect example. Most countries know EXACTLY what is going on in the US, sadly, more so than Americans who count only on their American media to get their news.

[depakid]

4. This despite the fact that exchange rates are a relative bargain.

There definitely regions in the US where I have no intention of ever returning to. They might as well be another country as far as this left coater is concerned.

[EFerrari]

5. People don't like those free side trips to Syria to be tortured?

Who knew.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. And with the conversion rates of Euros to US dollars, one would think we'd be flooded with tourists.

[aquart]

7. Every time George opens his mouth, travel and tourism takes a hit.

Was a stewardess once unkind to him? Did a hotel shortsheet his bed? Why does he hate those people so?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

8. Many people don't like to treated like they are criminal suspects by uniformed Gestapo agents.

I don't travel by air or go to be large venues anymore because I hate being searched. The last time I went to a sporting event, I was wearing a close fitting tank top with shorts and was still unnecessarily frisked. The terrorists have won because of the level of irrational fear that is re-enforced by offensive and restrictive government actions in our country. This is no longer the land of the free nor the home of the brave. We are now frightened, easily herded cattle.

[Benhurst]

9. Maybe the American tourism industry should care out a special

niche for itself: tours for those who like to be verbally abused, fingerprinted, groped, roughed up and anally probed.

[KoKo]

10. Friend was in Germany for Business trip and kept getting asked

what was going on in the US and why Bush was popular. Friend had to very carefully dance around the fact that not everyone supported the Bush policies (he was there to get business and not sure if he should comment) but the normally reserved Germans kept probing at lunch and dinner and he said that he got the impression folks wondered if we had lost our minds here. One contact that he's known for along time felt comfortable enought to raise the issue of "Germany's history" and concern that America was doing things that reminded him of their own past. :-(

This isn't good for small business dealings when one goes to a country and has folks probing about where America is headed. The high rollers and internationalists don't have to worry about their contacts getting nervous about America...but small business owners like my friend does...

[Iceburg]

11. A Canadian perspective ...

For Canadian non-whites, certainly the "fear of security" abuses is real, given the outrageous track record (renditions etc) of this administration. For others, its a moral decision -- I, personally do not wish to spend any money in a country that stands in direct violation of international law (illegal wars, sanctioning torture, secret prisons, covert operations, illegal trade embargos), nor do I wish to travel to a nation without laws.

My wife and I used to travel to the US several times a year for holidays,and professional conferences, dropping $5,000 to $15,000 each trip. Further,in March of 2003 we divested all of our US investment holdings. At one time in Canada investors were strongly encouraged to keep about 25% of their funds in US holdings ... not anymore -- its Europe and Asia.

Another reason for the travel slowdown could be the insulting manner in which gays and lesbians are treated at the border. Like it or not, the G&L community with an above average dispensable income make up a significant portion of the traveling public.

Don't get me wrong, there are many Americans (including our relatives) that I admire and enjoy ... but until America is on more firm moral and legal footing I will choose to meet my American friends and family on non-American soil, and I will choose to attend conferences in places where my professional colleagues are not at risk of being detained for being non-white by out-of-control border agents.

Its not perfect up here in the north country but it ain't hell yet either.