NewsMine — economy — united-states — 2005 — 2005-apr-july — Viewing Item

US tourism losing billions because of image { May 8 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.ft.com/cms/s/9d3b32bc-bfe8-11d9-b376-00000e2511c8.html http://news.ft.com/cms/s/9d3b32bc-bfe8-11d9-b376-00000e2511c8.html US tourism ‘losing billions because of image’ By Amy Yee in New York Published: May 8 2005 18:53 | Last updated: May 8 2005 18:53 The US is losing billions of dollars as international tourists are deterred from visiting the US because of a tarnished image overseas and more bureaucratic visa policies, travel industry leaders have warned. “It's an economic imperative to address these problems,” said Roger Dow, chief executive of the Travel Industry Association of America, tourism's main trade body, which concluded its annual convention this weekend in New York. Mr Dow stressed that tourism contributed to a positive perception of the US, which spread across to business. “If we don't address these issues in tourism, the long-term impact for American brands Coca-Cola, General Motors, McDonald's could be very damaging,” he said. The plea echoed that of other industry trade organisations which say bureaucratic visa procedures and stringent security after the September 11 terrorist attacks have deterred business travellers and foreign students. “The idea has gotten out that we've pulled in the welcome mat,” said Rick Webster, the association's director of government affairs. The number of international visitors last year rose 12 per cent, compared to 2003, to 46.1m, according to the US Commerce Department. They spent $93.7bn, or 17 per cent more than their counterparts the previous year. However, US market share of foreign visitors is still down 38 per cent since 1992, according to the TIA. The number of global travellers has grown by 2 per cent to 770m since 2000, but US market share has not kept pace. “Our piece of the pie has shrunk by 5m visitors,” said Mr Dow. The weak US dollar has boosted the number of international visitors, but given favourable currency rates for many foreigners, those numbers should be far higher. “The weak US dollar is masking some of the problems,” said Mr Webster. “And the dollar won't remain weak forever.” Mr Dow said rising anti-Americanism has created a feeling that the US is inhospitable and difficult to visit. “There's a perception of ‘Fortress America' that is much worse than it really is,” he said. Mr Dow added that more competition from other destinations such as Australia, South Africa, Spain and Asia had siphoned off tourism to the US. The TIA urged US policymakers to facilitate various security measures. An October 26 deadline that requires some foreign passports to have biometric facial-recognition technology is unrealistic and must be extended, according to the TIA. It also wants problems resolved with the US-Visit programme, an initiative requiring photos and fingerprints of some visitors, which is scheduled to be in place at land borders and ports-of-entry by end the end of the year.

120 thousand united airline employees lose pensions { May 11 2005 } American obesity sending health costs soaring Consumer prices rise greater than expected Dow has biggest 2 day drop in two years Durable goods orders fall by most in 2 years Economy drags heels and inflations fears rise { April 29 2005 } Fed raises key rate on inflation fears { May 3 2005 } Fed raises rates to 3 and half as measured plan Fed says inflation pressures could be intesnifying { April 12 2005 } General motors shifts engineer positions to brazil { June 29 2005 } General motors to cut 25 thousand jobs { June 8 2005 } Greenspan says fed will keep raising rates Greenspan will keep raising rates he says Housing prices loom as concern { July 20 2005 } Huggies cuts six thousand jobs Industry squeezed by soaring energy prices { June 26 2005 } Kodak lays off 10 thousand workers { July 20 2005 } London blasts help dollar and stock gains Manufacturing slow down boosted stocks they say Manufacturing weakest since 2003 { June 1 2005 } Massachusetts homes sales plunge 11 percent { June 24 2005 } Real wages falling at fastest rate in 14 years { May 10 2005 } Sales of homes hit record as prices soar { May 24 2005 } Snow says oil prices hurting economy { June 28 2005 } States costs soar under drivers license law Stocks continue april decline hitting 2005 lows Stocks fall amid oil price worries { June 21 2005 } Stocks head lower on surging oil Stocks rise on jump in oil prices { June 17 2005 } Student loan interest will double Trade deficit unexpectedly shrank to 55b Trade gap widens more than expected US stocks fall as IBM earnings drag tech shares down US tourism losing billions because of image { May 8 2005 } Wages lagging behind inflation { April 11 2005 } Weak consumer spending damps speculation of quickening inflation Files Listed: 36

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.