(Originally published in TOURISM)
Geoff Freeman, executive director of the Discover America Partnership, contends that travellers are more afraid of US government officials than they are of the threat of terrorism or crime. A Discover America survey has found that – by a margin of more than two to one – the US ranked first among 10 destinations that included Africa and the Middle East as the most unfriendly to international travellers. Foreign tourists were worried they will be detained for hours because of a simple mistake or a mis-statement at a US airport; even accessing a visitor's visa appears to be becoming time-consuming and problematic.
The Discover America Partnership is an effort led by some of America’s foremost business leaders to strengthen America’s image around the globe, recognizing that public diplomacy is not the sole responsibility of government, but also of business and the American people. The partnership aims "to empower the American people as our greatest ambassadors – by increasing their opportunities to interact with international visitors. With each new visitor, we have an opportunity to share what is best about America – our diversity, our energy and our optimism."
In a presentation to the Pacific Asia Travel Association Board (PATA), meeting recently in Vancouver, Freeman noted that these perceptions stem from the US government's security responses to 9/11, and called for travel‑friendly improvements such as enabling entry visas to be processed in 30 days or less and a world‑class entry system in which visitors are processed in 30 minutes or less.
Freeman says one factor that consistently stands out is the perception foreign travellers are no longer even welcome to come to his country; he is calling for a targetted promotional campaign to reverse these negative perceptions. Freeman's comments were received with considerable interest from PATA delegates in attendance; some delegates saw the possibility many potential overseas visitors may even be postponing visits to Canada which might otherwise have been part of a larger North American holiday.
Geoff Freeman, executive director of the Discover America Partnership, contends that travellers are more afraid of US government officials than they are of the threat of terrorism or crime. A Discover America survey has found that – by a margin of more than two to one – the US ranked first among 10 destinations that included Africa and the Middle East as the most unfriendly to international travellers. Foreign tourists were worried they will be detained for hours because of a simple mistake or a mis-statement at a US airport; even accessing a visitor's visa appears to be becoming time-consuming and problematic.
The Discover America Partnership is an effort led by some of America’s foremost business leaders to strengthen America’s image around the globe, recognizing that public diplomacy is not the sole responsibility of government, but also of business and the American people. The partnership aims "to empower the American people as our greatest ambassadors – by increasing their opportunities to interact with international visitors. With each new visitor, we have an opportunity to share what is best about America – our diversity, our energy and our optimism."
In a presentation to the Pacific Asia Travel Association Board (PATA), meeting recently in Vancouver, Freeman noted that these perceptions stem from the US government's security responses to 9/11, and called for travel‑friendly improvements such as enabling entry visas to be processed in 30 days or less and a world‑class entry system in which visitors are processed in 30 minutes or less.
Freeman says one factor that consistently stands out is the perception foreign travellers are no longer even welcome to come to his country; he is calling for a targetted promotional campaign to reverse these negative perceptions. Freeman's comments were received with considerable interest from PATA delegates in attendance; some delegates saw the possibility many potential overseas visitors may even be postponing visits to Canada which might otherwise have been part of a larger North American holiday.
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