USA welcome mat (not) for visitors

Testimony of John Marks, CEO of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau and Chair of the Travel Industry Association of America, U.S. House of Representatives, 10 July 2003

“Intentional or otherwise, a collection of rules and policies that discourages international visitors from coming to the U.S. also create a perception of “Fortress America”. The U.S. “welcome mat” for international visitors is beginning to fray and the perception of some around the world is that we are no longer a welcoming nation.”

See the complete document for an excellent analysis of the economic impact of new interview requirements for visa applicants, and the differential between visitorship to the USA from countries that require visas and those that don’t.

Just remember: never judge a country by its border guards. Most people in the USA like foreigners, and welcome them. Really!