A powerful U.S. travel industry lobbying group said this week that inefficient policies such as long wait times for tourist visas and frictional factors such as delays in security screening technology are making the U.S. less competitive when it comes to attracting international tourists. He claimed that Flight and hotel prices.
A study released this week by the U.S. Travel Association and Euromonitor International found that the U.S. risks losing 39 million visitors with a combined spending power of $150 billion over the next 10 years due to “excessive” wait times for tourist visas. It is claimed that there is. The study also ranked the United States 17th out of 18 top destinations in terms of overall global tourism competitiveness, including the United Kingdom (1st), France (2nd), and Turkey (3rd). . China was the only country in the top 18 that ranked lower than the United States.
“Our competitors are outpacing us,” Jeff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said at a press conference Thursday. “The economic cost of these failures is in the billions of dollars.”
Why are we lagging behind in competitiveness?
The U.S. Travel Association commissioned this report to better understand the slow return of international travel to the United States after pandemic-related restrictions end. According to this study, US tourist levels in 2023 are estimated to remain at 84% of international tourists.
While the United States remains the most desirable destination for travelers around the world, it ranks third (behind Spain and France, respectively) in terms of actual number of international travelers. Spain, France, Turkey, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Greece and the United Arab Emirates all saw international visitor numbers rise above pre-pandemic levels last year.
According to the report, in which areas does the United States as a brand score poorly? Government leadership on travel-related issues, national travel strategy, safety and security, visa wait times, and visa waivers. The United Kingdom has designated 102 countries for visa-free travel, while the United States has granted visa-free travel privileges to only 42 of her countries. The United States also ranks mid-range in terms of biometric security screening capabilities, which could make air travel more efficient if exploited to its full potential.
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The study doesn't say which of the major U.S. political parties is at fault, but notes that most major markets have a tourism minister. The United States has an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism, but that position is not filled or funded by Congress.
The United States has a strong reputation for destination marketing, air connectivity, and Trusted Traveler programs.
the expensive elephant in the room
Curiously, the high cost of hotels and airfare in the United States was not mentioned as a potential deterrent to keep international visitors away from the United States.
Freeman said the report was commissioned to examine why international travelers were slow to return after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, according to a U.S. Travel Association press release. He noted that the organization is considering factors that have been considered for “decades.”
“We have seen these issues rear their ugly heads over the years and act as a deterrent for travellers.Although not in the sustained form they are currently in, we have seen a decline in market share. There were other times,” Freeman said. “So when you look at the 2023 time period, I think for some people the cost has an impact, but when you look at inflation around the world, compared to the inflationary pressures that people are feeling, the U.S. is actually It is quite mild in countries around the world. ”
Freeman later said the market would take care of the pricing issue for consumers. But it is the government's role to address these long-term factors that keep visitors away.
“We're going to continue to look at what we can do to address the obstacles that we've put in place, but those are, by and large, obstacles that are created and perpetuated by governments,” Freeman said.
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