Decreasing numbers of overseas visitors to USA
Despite the weak dollar, overseas visits are decreasing:
...despite the dollar hitting record lows against world currencies, foreigners are not flocking to our shores to snap up deals in between trips to Disneyland and Sea World.
The horror stories about visiting the United States - hourlong waits in customs, surprise bag searches, tough visa requirements - are taking their toll, travel experts say.
Overseas arrivals are down 17percent nationwide since 2001, said Geoff Freeman, a spokesman at the Travel Industry Association.
And those numbers aren't exactly bouncing back.
From 2005 to 2006, overseas arrivals decreased nationally by 0.5 percent.
Locally, overseas arrivals decreased 3percent in that period, Freeman said.
Longer visa delays
Obtaining a visa to enter the United States has become a lot harder for citizens of many countries since the Sept.11 terrorist attacks. In-person interviews were added as a visa requirement for travelers from Brazil, India and Mexico. Previously, immigration officials had leverage to
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waive the interview if a criminal check was clean.
Waits for an interview can exceed 100 days in Brazil and 70 days in Mexico, and they range from 15 to 150 days in India, Freeman said.
"We support the interview requirement because it's good for security," Freeman said. But "if you're going to require an interview, perhaps you should staff accordingly."
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