"Increased travel security devastating industry, travel exec says"

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Increased travel security devastating industry, travel exec says 
By Jason Wiest
Arkansas News Bureau 


LITTLE ROCK - The aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks has crippled the
U.S. travel and tourism industry, but the country has not helped itself
regain market share in the international travel business, a travel expert
said Tuesday.

More stringent and unfriendly travel security, a poor perception of
Americans and the absence of marketing oversees for international travel to
the U.S. is killing one of the country's largest industries, said Roger Dow,
president of the Travel Industry Association of America. 

"We're leaking like a sieve," Dow told an audience at the Clinton School of
Public Service. "And we're on sale."

In the past five years, the $700 billion U.S. travel industry has lost 17
percent of its global international market share, and 32 percent in the past
15 years, Dow said.

"While we were busy recovering (from 9/11), the rest of the world was
growing exponentially in travel and tourism and the pie was getting bigger
and our slice was shrinking," he said.

The Travel Industry of America and the U.S. Department of Commerce formed
the Discover America Partnership earlier this year to stem the tide, turn
foreigners' perception of America around and make international travel
easier.

To improve the nation's image, it is essential for people to travel to the
U.S. and have an enjoyable experience, Dow said.

"If we do not (increase the number) of people coming to the United States,
we are going to create the thing we're trying to stop," he said.

Dow said that the post 9/11 increase in security was necessary but that a
balance needs to be struck.

"It's too much trouble to come here," he said.

Brazilians can obtain a visa in only four cities and the process takes
almost 100 days. Since 1998, the number of Brazilians traveling to the U.S.
fell from about 1 million to 500,000, costing the U.S. economy about $500
million, he said.

When people do get here, they are not well received by airport security
personnel and immigration officials, he said.

"Why can't we have the most welcoming and most secure airports in the
world?" Dow said.

The partnership, which also includes several business leaders whose
industries have ties to travel, is backing legislation to improve the travel
process and increase overseas travel to the U.S.

Last month, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that increases access to U.S.
visas, by expanding the Visa Waiver Program to include more countries.

The legislation also establishes "model" airports at America's top 20
international arrival airports, including enhanced line management and
assistance for foreign travelers upon arrival, and increases by 200 the
number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to alleviate staff
shortages.

Under a $3.9 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of
Commerce, the Travel Industry Association and other travel industry partners
will build Web sites in multiple languages to promote the U.S. as a premier
destination.

"We cannot allow our destiny to be told by the international media. We need
to tell America's story all over the world, get people wanting to come
here," Dow said.

The effort is small compared to the advertising of other countries, he said.

Australia spends $120 million on it's travel industry, which is one-ninth
the size of the U.S. travel industry, he said.

Many who see Australia's advertising can't afford to travel down under, but
the ads create a positive public perception of the country, he said.

"That's what we need to do in this country, promote America so people see
our values, our culture, our diversity," Dow said.

Before his speech, Dow said that recent Arkansas legislation to develop
eco-tourism in the economically depressed Delta region was a wise move.

"(Eco-tourism) is getting a lot of noise, especially in Europe, and it's
going to become a factor that's going to sneak up on us like that," he said,
snapping his fingers.

Within a decade, Dow predicted, people will consider whether hotels, cities,
destinations and attractions are eco-friendly when making travel decisions.

"There's going to be the segment where someone's going to have to have on
their Web site: 'For those interested in eco-tourism, this area of the
country is doing this, this, and this, our city is one of the leading
proponents of recycling, energy recovery, the hotels and restaurants are the
model for the South,' and there's going to be a group that's going to say,
'We've got to go see that,'" Dow said.

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