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JBloggs

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Promoting America
[COLOR= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Excerpt:[/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(51, 51, 51)]The United States wants more foreign visitors.[/COLOR]
For the first time in its history, America is making a concerted effort to market itself overseas.
While the United States has welcomed more foreign tourists in the last 10 years, its share of the total travel market has declined — from 17.3 percent in 2000 to 11.2 percent in 2010. ...
 
Joey, the problems (from the perspective of a foreigner) start even before you arrive. For example, most visitors (Canadians are thankfully exempt) have to go through ESTA and pay $14 just to request authorization to fly to the US, you still can be refused entry at the border. And if you didn't know, they also fingerprint you when you visit the US, which makes a lot of people feel like a criminal (Canadians are also thankfully exempt). Canadians travelling on mass transport have to pay $5. Border waits at some borders can be hours long at times. There was a cruise ship in St. Thomas that took 6 hours to clear (normally takes about an hour). And then there are cases like Peter Watts (the author) that just scare us... in Canada it was reported that his crime was getting out of his car to wait outside and not getting back into his car fast enough.
And don't think I'm not as upset about Canada customs, because in the last year they have become less friendly as well. Border crossing that used to take 15 minutes can stretch into an hour, which is just too damn long for a tourist who wants to visit for a few days.
As Europe makes going from country to country a breeze under Schengen, we (both the US and Canada) are making it harder and harder to the detriment of both our countries. We need to make visiting our countries easier, faster and more pleasant. And it starts from the first contact... and that first contact isn't Disney, Universal, the tourism department or even our B&B. The first person our guest comes in contact is a border guard and they give the whole impression and tone to the visit.
Honestly, I wish our two governments could sit down, clear up this nonsense, because so many of our guests want to go back and forth over the border and enjoy both countries.
 
Don't forget since 9/11 laws were inacted that atleast we in the U.S. are required to have an "enhanced" license or passport to cross back and forth between the 2 countries. I'm not quite sure what Canada requires.
Perhaps I am more aware of this because I live about 15 miles from Niagara Falls and half my extended family lives in Canada.
I just remember a few years ago driving into Mexico. I think there was a sign up similar to when we pass from state to state or even county (your case province). Coming back was a whole different story with lines for Customs.
Guess there is no easy answer.
 
This is due to 9/11. People still want to visit, they just have a hard time doing it. The state dept is expanding their embassies in Brazil and some other key countries to make it easier for them to come here. Doing ads is beyond stupid.
 
This is due to 9/11. People still want to visit, they just have a hard time doing it. The state dept is expanding their embassies in Brazil and some other key countries to make it easier for them to come here. Doing ads is beyond stupid..
Todd, apparently they doubled the staff at the US embassy/consulate in Brazil and the waiting time for an interview is about two weeks, down from seven weeks previously. But I don't see how long the processing time is down to. I can see how discouraging that is, especially when all you want to do is visit. Not to mention the costs of these visas. Rio is now doing better than Montreal. It takes 57 days to get a visa interview in Montreal.
And for those who don't know, the standard fee the US charges for a visa application (accepted or denied) is $140. Which is why many countries now charge "reciprocity" fees... you pay $140 fee because the US government charges them $140. Canadians usually pay $65 to $75 but Chile is $132.
 
Did you have to pay for your Brazilian VISA? US citizens are charged $140 to even the score. This is not Brazil's best idea either imo.
Countries need to consider how to make commerce easier. You want more tourists? Make it easy. Pretty simple concept. Mexico was a huge destination for Brazilians. Now they need a VISA to go there thanks to the USA. I hardly ever hear about people going there for a holiday now.
I am off my soap box. :)
 
Joey, the problems (from the perspective of a foreigner) start even before you arrive. For example, most visitors (Canadians are thankfully exempt) have to go through ESTA and pay $14 just to request authorization to fly to the US, you still can be refused entry at the border. And if you didn't know, they also fingerprint you when you visit the US, which makes a lot of people feel like a criminal (Canadians are also thankfully exempt). Canadians travelling on mass transport have to pay $5. Border waits at some borders can be hours long at times. There was a cruise ship in St. Thomas that took 6 hours to clear (normally takes about an hour). And then there are cases like Peter Watts (the author) that just scare us... in Canada it was reported that his crime was getting out of his car to wait outside and not getting back into his car fast enough.
And don't think I'm not as upset about Canada customs, because in the last year they have become less friendly as well. Border crossing that used to take 15 minutes can stretch into an hour, which is just too damn long for a tourist who wants to visit for a few days.
As Europe makes going from country to country a breeze under Schengen, we (both the US and Canada) are making it harder and harder to the detriment of both our countries. We need to make visiting our countries easier, faster and more pleasant. And it starts from the first contact... and that first contact isn't Disney, Universal, the tourism department or even our B&B. The first person our guest comes in contact is a border guard and they give the whole impression and tone to the visit.
Honestly, I wish our two governments could sit down, clear up this nonsense, because so many of our guests want to go back and forth over the border and enjoy both countries..
When we crossed into Canada last month the border guard was nice, quick and welcoming. When we came back from our visit, on an ISLAND for Pete's sake, we were questioned about our relationship to each other, whose car we were driving, what our business was crossing into Canada and then, heaven help us, coming BACK, why we didn't have the same last names if we were REALLY married, please remove your sunglasses, did we buy anything in Canada (again, on an ISLAND that appeared essentially to be closed) and please open the trunk.
Canada wanted to know if we had alcohol, tobacco or firearms. The US wanted our name, rank and serial number. Canada asked if we were smuggling, the US demanded proof we weren't and questioned our relationship to each other.
I get why some of our less-frequent traveling Canadian guests don't like crossing the border into the states. None of them seem to mind going back with all their ill-gotten booty, but they do not like crossing into the US.
 
Did you have to pay for your Brazilian VISA? US citizens are charged $140 to even the score. This is not Brazil's best idea either imo.
Countries need to consider how to make commerce easier. You want more tourists? Make it easy. Pretty simple concept. Mexico was a huge destination for Brazilians. Now they need a VISA to go there thanks to the USA. I hardly ever hear about people going there for a holiday now.
I am off my soap box. :).
$65 for my visa. Good for 5 years, which is the life of my visa. To be honest, it's made me think of going back. I haven't seen the Amazon, yet :)
 
One of the things the USA needs to consider as it is something the UK is working hard on is Chinese Visa's as we went to a presentation and I can't remember what the stats are but long and short is China has virtually the most millionares on the planet and its growing every day these are people we want in our country spending tourist money therefore how can we facilitate our encouragement of these high rollers comming here? 1st thing is get processing of visas streamlined. Im not saying be less safe but employ more staff or whatever it takes to make it easy for genuine tourists. In the UK we are a bit spoilt as we can go anywhere in the EU without even a passport and we pretty much get a free pass to anywhere else.
 
Did you have to pay for your Brazilian VISA? US citizens are charged $140 to even the score. This is not Brazil's best idea either imo.
Countries need to consider how to make commerce easier. You want more tourists? Make it easy. Pretty simple concept. Mexico was a huge destination for Brazilians. Now they need a VISA to go there thanks to the USA. I hardly ever hear about people going there for a holiday now.
I am off my soap box. :).
$65 for my visa. Good for 5 years, which is the life of my visa. To be honest, it's made me think of going back. I haven't seen the Amazon, yet :)
.
Eric Arthur Blair said:
I haven't seen the Amazon, yet :)
Get your shots first. I had to take 5 shots when I went, and protective pills for weeks when I got home. So visiting the upper Amazon is almost as hard as entering the USA.
 
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