The image of the U.S., which has taken a
beating particularly over the past two years, continues to slip,
according to a report released by the Pew Research Center.
Citizens of 14 countries were surveyed for the centers annual
Pew Global Attitudes Project, which covers several topics,
including opinions of the U.S. by the global community.
In 2006, there were only four countries where 50% or more of
respondents gave the U.S. a favorable rating: Japan (63%), Nigeria
(62%), Great Britain (56%) and India (56%).
By comparison, in 2000, seven of the nations polled gave the
U.S. a favorable rating of at least 50%: Great Britain (83%),
Germany (78%), Japan (77%), Indonesia (75%), France (62%), Turkey
(52%) and Spain (50%).
In the recent survey, Turkey had one of the lowest scores,
12%.
For the travel industry, the findings of the latest Pew study
underscores a concern that the image of the U.S. in recent years
has suffered throughout the world.
Pews latest survey sends a stark message: Americas image is in
crisis, said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry
Association, in a statement. Our nation is increasingly viewed with
distrust. The implications economic and diplomatic are
considerable.
The travel industry is lobbying Congress to providing funding
for a proposed $300 million inbound marketing effort, which,
according to the TIA, would help bolster the countrys image.
The more international travelers that come to the U.S., the more
ambassadors we create for our country, Dow said.