The onerous restrictions on travel imposed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks aren’t just a nuisance to law-abiding vacationers tired of separating out their liquids and taking off their shoes at interminable airport security lines. The additional hoops that international visitors must now jump through to enter the country are continuing to harm America’s image around the world.
A growing chorus of voices is suggesting that America’s inhospitable face to foreigners may have cost Chicago the 2016 Olympic Games. Among them is the U.S. Travel Association, which promotes visitation to and within the United States.
Citing a comment by an International Olympic Committee member who found entering the U.S. “a rather harrowing experience,” U.S. Travel Association President Roger Dow issued a release saying, “We need to take seriously the challenge of reforming our entry process to ensure there is a welcome mat to our friends around the world, even as we ensure a secure system.”
Almost immediately after 9/11, the Bush administration began requiring visitors from all but 28 (mostly European) countries to submit their fingerprints and photographs to obtain a visa. Since then, the number of countries exempted from these regulations has been expanded to 35, but visitors from the rest of the world must still pay a “visa application fee” (usually $131) and wait as long as 90 days for processing.
“The presumption in the law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant,” according to the State Department. Therefore, tourists from those countries must prove that they do not plan to stay in the U.S. indefinitely.
If the bigwigs who sit on the International Olympic Committee find travel to the U.S. “harrowing,” the average foreign tourist must be positively bewildered. In personally pleading Chicago’s case for the Olympics, President Obama said “one of the legacies I want to see is a reminder that America at its best is open to the world.”
Are restrictions on travel, both domestic and international, undermining that legacy? Post your thoughts in the comments section.
— John Rosenthal
John Rosenthal is a frequent contributor to Bing Travel based in Santa Monica, Calif.
Why is a Bing blog taking about political issues like this one? Please just talk about your products.
If you insist on quoting foreign ministers about US travel policy, you could at least name them to put the quotes into perspective. The person who called getting to the US a "harrowing experience" was Syed Shahid Ali of Pakistan. Traveling in Pakistan actually IS a harrowing experience, because it's pretty easy to get shot at or blown up by one of the many terrorist or insurgent groups in the country.
Also, it's simply beyond ridiculous to think the IOC picked Rio -- where tourists face a non-trivial risk of being kidnapped -- over Chicago because getting to Chicago is somehow more "harrowing."
Clever or should I use the word manipulative piece disguised as traveling to America.
Let's review the 'key' word list again:
IOC member quote(unattributed and thank you Jack for filling in the blank)
Bush Administration requirements (as if $131.00 covers the cost of security)
Rio over Chicago
Immigrant (as if some/many don't overstay their visa)
One Obama quote.
Now to the 'growing chorus of voices' - that would Americans (most of us) who are quite pleased with the strict restrictions on tourists. Those restrictions are in place to make our daily lives safer not to make the visitors entrance a cake walk.
It is true. I once travelled to the US with a tripod in my backpack that puzzled security. I have to admit, it must have looked strange, kind of like a gun. They checked the backpack again and again and when I asked what the problem was, I was asked to step back and be quiet. It took so long to figure this out (they couldn't find that object in the backpack!), that I eventually missed my plane.
When I went back, I had the same issue in Paris. Again, the security was looking on the screen and was wondering what that could be. But instead of being unfriendly, they simply asked me what it is, to take it out of the backpack and show how it is used if it's supposed to be a tripod. As easy as that.
I know, there must be some kind of security, but as far as I know, all the 9/11 terrorists could have been arrested when they entered the country, if the immigration just would have known about their status. So instead uf USING the existing security mechanismus, new ones were installed, making entering the US something very unpleasent.
It's a pity, because most people in the US I ever met were very friendly and showed great hospitality.
As an ex regular visitor to the States, the main reason I have now stopped visiting is precisely because of this.
I am married to a US Citizen, we now lives in England, and used to visit Family usually twice a year.
However, since 9/11, the 'hassle' from Customs & Immigration and the invariable attitude that I'm somehow causing work for them and the outright hostility at times, now means that I only ever visit when it's an absolute necessity such as funerals etc.
I could say the same thing for boarder crossings. My wife is Canadian. I'm a two time purple heart recipient and CMH nominee retired/disabled vet. (I got shot in the head and once in the leg and still managed to save five of my Marines). I was hassled by boarder agents because I had a box of VHS DISNEY TAPES in my vehicle that were given to us by her parents when I visited alone. I was obliquely accused of bringing contraband into the states and was detained for two hours because of the tapes and because, "I shook too much". I got so mad, I flashed my military ID, showed the scars on my head and went to talk to the Captain about PTSD. Screw it. If I, a CMH nominee, am getting the riot act for Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh--and for shaking because of PTSD, I can't imagine what others are experiencing.
I work for Coastal Vacations within the travel industry...I am an independent representative and I hear all kinds of negative remarks about travel anywhere now. We have invoked those restrictions on travelers into the US as a precautionary measure for our citizens and that should never be taken lightly. There are many countries that are very dangerous to travel in and we never recommend that you travel to those places....our main concern is that travel is seen as a positive experience for anyone today whether you are traveling to the US, within the US, or another country...don't be afraid to enrich your life whether you travel here or abroad. We have the right to protect our lands just like any other country does...if it causes a few delays, inconveniences or otherwise hassles so be it...its for everyone's protection.
There is a thing as going too far Donna Purcell. I'm, obviously, all about protecting US from terrorists (see above), but getting detained for BS reasons is BS!
The first two commenters are the reasons why people who have a choice don't travel to the US for leisure. The fact that someone comes from Pakistan does not mean that the US is like heaven to him. This is the kind of ignorant crap that makes some of the border and immigration chaps behave like idiots.
The IOC guy from Pakistan may live there and have never been exposed to any of that insecurity that you are referring to. What is the risk of getting shot or blown up in the Islamabad airport, or in any of the pricey suburbs where well-off people live? Lower than in Queens NY.
So, my point is Americans need to be less ignorant. Britain and all the European countries all have terror threats and still treat visitors in a congenial manner at the airport. Its the idiotic Bush kinda people who made the decisions back then that train the officials at the airports and borders now.
America needs to learn to be friendly to foreigners, if Europe can do the same
Id hate to say it, but even for Americans coming back into the country, by land or by air, its a process that is never-wrenching and even downright rude and indignent. I have been asked some of the stangest questions coming back across the bridge in Pt Huron Michigan, questions that do not have anything to do with crossing an international line. I am down right sick of it really. I am a US citizen, I do not need to be harassed when I come back into the country.
Honestly speaking I hate politics and also less often read about political news or articles. So I can say post something interesting than political article as according to me politics got undeserving importance.
If we make it unpleasant to visit, people won't want to come -- it's as simple as that. There's nothing political there.
What is really infuriating is that the unpleasantness we (in the US) are dishing out makes us no safer. I guess that is political if you like. Also a fact, however.
I travel to and from London with my family. We stop at Customs, we get our bags, we go about our business. I am a US citizen and I find traveling to and fro this country quite simple. I understand others have to plan a few months ahead of time, and for me - that wouldn't work simply because of my schedule and "last minute" type of traveling I do. With that said, there are no shortage of foreign speaking vacationers in our nations biggest tourist attractions (Las Vegas, San Francisco, Disneyland, Grand Canyon) - people might dislike America for all kinds of reasons, our travel restrictions isn't one of them.
As an afterthought, I wonder if our global "gotta have it now" attitude is the reason for the travel-hate. People can't just decide to come to the US tomorrow - and some people can't stand it. We live in an instantaneous world and for some, anything shy of instant simply won't do.
Mind you, its a NON REFUNDABLE application fee of over $100.00 for a six month visa!!!
The other thing that was not mentioned is the amazing abilities of the American embassy staff(at least where i live) to be amazingly RUDE!!!Like they are being awarded bonuses for being rude! Unbelievable!!!! I'm happy visiting other countries in the world :-)
We have a great Country.Simple as that.I'm marrying a foreigner but haven't gotten to traveling arrangements yet.What can she expect?