Although travel is a major economic stimulant, America is stunting its growth with inefficient visa, entry and passenger screening processes, according to U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow, who appeared before Congress yesterday to advocate on behalf of travel industry reforms.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, Dow testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security in a hearing titled, "Balancing Prosperity and Security: Challenges for U.S. Air Travel in a 21st Century Global Economy."
"Increasing travel in the United States is the most effective form of economic stimulus," Dow said in his testimony. "The principle barriers to increased travel to and within the United States are the inefficiencies, uncertainties and delays that characterize our visa, entry and passenger screening process. These self-imposed restrictions discourage Americans and overseas visitors from traveling to and within the United States."
In his testimony, Dow outlined three recommendations for stimulating growth without compromising security:
• Implement Risk-Based and Efficient Passenger Screening: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently launched PreCheck, a trusted traveler program that allows eligible fliers who pass a background check to pass more quickly through security checkpoints thanks to a special expedited screening lane that does not require them to remove their shoes, belts, coats, laptops or carry-on toiletries. "However, barriers are preventing ordinary Americans from joining and using the program," points out the U.S. Travel Association, which suggested that TSA expand the PreCheck program. "One must either join U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Global Entry program, which requires an in-person interview only offered at 25 locations in the U.S., or one must qualify through an airline frequent flier program, which U.S. Travel estimates would cost roughly $10,000 in airfare paid to a single airline, in a single year, in order to accrue enough frequent flier miles to qualify."
• Promote and Expand International Travel: Worldwide, total international tourist arrivals are projected to grow 36 percent between 2010 and 2020, resulting in $2.2 trillion in direct travel spending and 62 million jobs. "This presents enormous economic and diplomatic opportunities for the U.S.," according to the U.S. Travel Association, which recommended the State Department: 1) codify into law a two-week visa processing standard for foreign travelers wishing to visit the United States, 2) work to implement the use of secure videoconferencing technology to interview visa applicants remotely, and 3) sign bilateral visa-free travel agreements with new countries — the 11 likeliest candidates, according to the U.S. Travel Association, are Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Israel, Panama, Poland, Romania, Taiwan and Uruguay — as part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
• Enhance Immigration Processing upon Arrival in the United States: "How international visitors are treated when they arrive in the United States is just as important as the visa process," according to the U.S. Travel Association, which suggested that the Department of Homeland Security aim to process all international arriving passengers within 30 minutes at the primary inspection area. "This can be done by increasing staff and developing and implementing a comprehensive and automated staffing model to improve passenger facilitation."
"It is unconscionable that in a time of weak economic growth, followed by deep recession, inefficient security and travel facilitation programs caused America to leave so much economic prosperity on the table," Dow said. "We cannot afford to make the same mistakes in this current decade."