WASHINGTON, 3 February 2007 — Since 2000, the United States has reported a 20-percent drop in overseas travelers.

This loss has cost the US billions of dollars in revenue and nearly 200,000 jobs, according to a study conducted by the Travel Industry Association, on behalf of the Discover America Partnership. And, as the global travel market continues with dramatic expansion, the US share continues to shrink.

In 2000, US market share of the $6 trillion worldwide travel market stood at 7.5 percent: by 2006, the country’s share dropped to 6.1 percent. (Since September 11, 2001, overseas travel to the US has declined by 17 percent.)

In an effort to ameliorate this expensive problem, a study, “A Blueprint to Discover America,” was released Wednesday in Washington, by Discover America Partnership, a recently formed alliance of American’s top business leaders in the travel industry (poweroftravel.org).

The study examines the economic “ripple effect,” — such as the potential loss of spending, employment, payroll and tax receipts due to a loss of international visitors, and offers a series of detailed recommendations to reverse the decline and attract more travelers to the United States, including a series of policy changes to improve the entry process, address growing concerns with traveling to the US among international travelers, and attract more visitors.

“We are in the midst of a travel crisis and it is time for Congress to act,” said Stevan Porter, president of Intercontinental Hotels Group and chairman of the Discover America Partnership.

“Our economic security is suffering from a drastic decline in overseas travelers and we are missing an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen America’s image around the globe.”

The travel executives named continuing delays in processing visas, staff shortages at international airports in the US and American consulates abroad and why they describe as a failure to promote the US adequately as a travel destination since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The study also noted a variety of reasons why overseas travelers are choosing not to visit the US, but said one factor stood out: The perception that foreign travelers are no longer welcome here. “Travelers cite the lengthy visa process and the often confusing and claustrophobic entry process as evidence that — as one survey showed — the US has the ‘world’s worst’ entry process.” As a result, the travel executives are calling for legislation that would increase financing for consular and airport staff and require the Bush Administration to report to Congress on its efforts to improve the visa processing and customer service at customs checkpoints.

Stevan Porter, chairman of Discover American Partnership and president of The Americas InterContinental Hotels Group told members at Wednesday’s luncheon: “Although the travel industry is in good condition, nationally and throughout the globe; since 9/11, travel to the US has been seen more as a risk than an opportunity.”

He said the US attitude regarding foreign travelers is perceived as: “If you come, fine. If you don’t, even better.”

“Security and ease of travel, people sometimes mistakenly believe we can have one, but not both,” said Porter, noting former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has signed up with the travel industry lobby group to prepare a package of “big and bold” reforms to US visa and border rules to make it easier for global travelers to visit the country.

The Blueprint to Discover America” is “the single most important document” the travel industry “has ever created,” said Porter.

“It’s a national strategy to attract international travelers. We can help change how America is perceived in the world.” Paul Serff, president of the Texas Travel Industry Association agreed that misperceptions are harming travel and tourism.

“There are so many opportunities for us, as Americans, to learn about other cultures and our commonalities, which I think are far more prevalent than our differences,” he said.

“Travel is the perfect vehicle for that — not only to get people to visit the US, but to understand who we are and what we are, and for us to understand them and learn to appreciate our similarities,” said Serff.

“If we can have that as a mindset and focus, it would be a much better world,” pausing Serff said: “I look at Texas as a microcosm of the world... which is what the US is, too.”