Despite the inability of our economy to produce good news, the travel industry has been generating some positive vibes lately. In fact, the inbound tourism market has been generating more than vibes.
According to the Commerce Department, international visitors to the U.S. spent nearly $13.3 billion on travel to the U.S. in July, including just over $10 billion in locally purchased goods and services and more than $3.2 billion in passenger fares to get here. The total for July is 15% higher than the same month of 2010. (Can you say that about anything else?)
It's also an all-time high and marks the fifth consecutive month of double-digit increases in visitor spending.
For the first seven months of the year, foreign visitors spent nearly $87 billion, a 13% increase over the 2010 period.
It gets better. This influx of visitor spending generated a positive contribution of $23 billion to the U.S. balance of trade during the first seven months of this year.
Given the state of our economy, the stock market, unemployment and the fears of another economic crisis in Europe, you could say these numbers make the travel industry -- relatively speaking -- an overachiever.
But you'd be wrong.
Our inbound industry is, in fact, underperforming. As impressive as these figures appear to be, they are not as good as they ought to be. They reflect a travel market that has not had the benefit of a national tourism marketing initiative (think Visit Britain, the French National Tourist Office, Spain's National Tourism Board and similar entities). They also reflect a security and border control apparatus that still deters visitors, despite efforts to reform the system.
For example, citizens of Brazil, one of the fastest-growing source markets in the world, are required to visit a U.S. consular office for an in-person interview as part of the visa application process.
As of last week, the State Department's website showed the next available appointment for a visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo as Dec. 28.
The U.S. Travel Association points with pride to the fact that the travel industry has added 106,000 jobs during the first seven months of the year, but it could do even more if the government could reduce visa wait times and streamline other aspects of what it calls "the process" of travel.
It needs to be done, and even with the record results, the industry needs to keep the pressure on public officials to get it done.
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And speaking of travel industry jobs, we were delighted to report last week that the hospitality and tourism program of the National Academy Foundation is alive and well in a growing number of U.S. high schools.
The national program got its start in 1982 with a course in finance; hospitality and tourism was added in 1987, thanks to support from the American Express Foundation. Marriott has also become an important sponsor, and other industry leaders should consider getting involved, as well.
When talk turns to education in this country, the talk always centers on raising standards, emphasizing math and science, getting more kids into college and getting parents more involved.
To this list we can add the benefits of getting and keeping the business community involved.