Security driving away foreign tourists

Aug 21, 2003 12:00 PM

           

The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) has asked President Bush to reconsider the recent tightening of regulations governing who may enter the United States and how, fearing an even greater decline in foreign tourism.

"Well-intentioned procedures are being introduced by the Department of Homeland Security. We believe they will have a serious impact on an industry that comprises six percent of the nation's workforce, but has suffered 25 percent of all jobs lost since Sept. 11, 2001," William Norman, president and CEO of the group told the President in a letter.

Recent DHS initiatives would ensure that in the future nearly 90 percent of visa applicants would be interviewed. There would also be a sophisticated system of verification using photographs and digital fingerprinting at ports of entry. TIA is also asking the government to delay implementation of new rules requiring visitors who do not need a visa to enter the U.S. to present a machine-readable passport.

After peaking in 2000, the number of foreign visitors has dwindled. Numbers were down 12.3 percent in 2001, 8.3 percent in 2002 and 2003 is not looking much better, the group says. All aspects of the sector have been affected, from airlines to hotels to tourist attractions.

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