Visitor numbers to USA fall again.

[Nottingham Nick]

This link and this one, are interesting press releases by tourist group called Discover America Partnership - their website is http://www.poweroftravel.org

The theme of the releases is the falling visitor numbers to the USA and speculation that Perceived Treatment of Foreign Travellers is Driving Away Visitors, Damaging America's Image Abroad

Their conclusions include:
The U.S. entry process is considered the “world’s worst” by travellers

* Travellers rate America’s entry process as the “world’s worst” by greater than a 2:1 margin over the next-worst destination area.
* The U.S. ranks with Africa and the Middle East when it comes to traveller-friendly paperwork and officials.
* 54 percent of international travellers say that immigration officials are rude.
* Travellers to the U.S. are more afraid of U.S. government officials than the threat of terrorism or crime.
* Two-thirds of travellers surveyed fear they will be detained at the border because of a simple mistake or misstatement.

Tell us something we don't know. [:w]

I have quoted verbatim as it is a press release - and I assume that is what they want (though I have altered a couple of 'American spellings'
)


Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
This link and this one, are interesting press releases by tourist group called Discover America Partnership - their website is http://www.poweroftravel.org

The theme of the releases is the falling visitor numbers to the USA and speculation that Perceived Treatment of Foreign Travellers is Driving Away Visitors, Damaging America's Image Abroad

Their conclusions include:
The U.S. entry process is considered the ÒworldÕs worstÓ by travellers

* Travellers rate AmericaÕs entry process as the ÒworldÕs worstÓ by greater than a 2:1 margin over the next-worst destination area.
* The U.S. ranks with Africa and the Middle East when it comes to traveller-friendly paperwork and officials.
* 54 percent of international travellers say that immigration officials are rude.
* Travellers to the U.S. are more afraid of U.S. government officials than the threat of terrorism or crime.
* Two-thirds of travellers surveyed fear they will be detained at the border because of a simple mistake or misstatement.

Tell us something we don't know. [:w]

I have quoted verbatim as it is a press release - and I assume that is what they want (though I have altered a couple of 'American spellings'
)


Nick

Interesting reading ... I saw a piece on TV in New York recently saying that Americans visiting the UK was also well down ... Put down the the Pound against the Dollar.

What I have from personal expeience in the last 12 months are 4 transatlantic flights to JFK & Boston, all on 747 - 400's where there's never been more than 116 passengers on each leg !

On the Immigration front I've waited 2 1/2 hours in Atlanta, and last month over an hour at JFK. Not good at all.

The U.S. ranks with Africa and the Middle East

SFO last month about 50 minutes but we were down the back of the bus.Having said that going into BAH and DOH at xmas no immigration forms to fill in, no questions, no finger prints, no photos and no wait just hand over a few quid for the visa[y].

[Scrooge]

You could also put that down to the number of visitors to the US being greater than most other non EU countries.

I have to wonder what they would think of Russian immigration.

The officer we had last month was laughing and joking with us....and this was at midnight at LAX.

Purely in regards to JFK I've found that if you fly in on the VS03 (and are lucky enough to be one of the first off the plane) you arrive at a deserted immigration hall and pleasant staff.

A bit different to the VS45 on every level!

On the whole though, my trips to the US has increased since they adopted the "everyone is a terroist" procedures. It won't stop me visiting what is my favourite country but it does give me something to moan about every time I'm there..

Dean

Originally posted by Wolves27
Purely in regards to JFK I've found that if you fly in on the VS03 (and are lucky enough to be one of the first off the plane) you arrive at a deserted immigration hall and pleasant staff.

A bit different to the VS45 on every level!

Dean

Ah yes VS 45 That did it for me ... The Air India flight directly behind us on the runway at Heathrow beat us to JFK, and left me with lining up behind its passengers at JFK hence the hour wait [:(!]

Falling visitor numbers - I'm sure I can make up for that[:p];)

VS.

[mcmbenjamin]

Look at the lines to enter YOUR country.....

I have never found them that bad - even with the finger printing malarkee. I think a lot more countries should follow their lead.

Last year I flew through LAX enroute to OZ and had to go landside to use lounge - no quizing or rudeness just doing his job. Although a hello would not have gone amiss. Through JFK in 2005 and similar experience. The best guy I had was in SFO (for immigration processing purposes - no double entendre intended;)) who was chatty and polite and wished me a very good holiday and come back again soon.

The best place was in Singapore where the lady chatted and then offered a sweet and welcomed me to Singapore.

In fact on returning to LHR last year the person on fast track that afternoon was as miserable as sin and far worse than most of our friends in the US. He may as well have had a sign up saying "expletive back to where you have come" so off was his attitude and all I said was Good Afternoon.

I personally wouldn't want to do their job and it must be quite mind numbing seeing all these tired people who don't fill the forms out correctly to the point where you just give up.

It appears there is more negativity about it than actuality and it is a bit sad that this would put people off travelling to the US.

Rob

It seems to be a nationwide trend. I was speaking to a travel writer who has just come back from a conference in Europe and it seems to be EU wide. Apparently current bookings for florida/orlando are down 10% already - which hopefully means a few cheap Z fares coming up [y]