WASHINGTON -- U.S. inbound tourism, down 19% since 9/11, may not
recover much this year if the government moves forward with an
aggressive timetable to tighten U.S. visitor visa requirements,
according to the Travel Industry Association.
The TIA has sent letters to the State Department, the Department
of Homeland Security and the Commerce Department asking for a delay
in implementing various new requirements.
In addition, the TIA was slated to testify in the House July 10
on the impact of new visa regulations. At issue are rules and
policies developed by the State Department and the Department of
Homeland Security that are set to go into effect as early as Aug.
1.
The government's objective is to keep closer tabs on visitors
traveling within the U.S.
Although broadly supporting that goal, the TIA contends that the
government's plans could jeopardize inbound tourism, which annually
pours about $88 billion into U.S. economy.
The TIA contends the government has provided little warning to
inbound travelers and the travel industry, while offering little
guidance to government employees as to how these rules and systems
will work.
"The government is trying to do too much, too soon, with too
little," TIA president William Norman said.
One of the TIA's most-pressing concerns involves a State
Department directive that requires U.S. embassies and consulates
worldwide to conduct in-person interviews with virtually all
applicants for a visitor visa.
Elyse Wander, the TIA's senior vice president for government
affairs, said the Secretary of State has the authority to waive
the in-person interview requirement to give embassies and
consulates time to ramp up manpower and facilities to meet the
directive.
"But [the State Dept.] is not planning to use its waiver
authority," Wander said. "This is problematic. The State Department
has done no outreach to the travel industry on this issue."
In fact, the TIA said some outbound tour operators in foreign
countries already are selling away from the U.S.
The TIA also is concerned about a regulation that requires the
27 countries in the Visa Waiver Program to issue machine-readable
passports to visitors entering the U.S. by Oct. 1.
TIA said some countries already issue machine-readable
passports, but France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, do not.