TRAVEL NEWS
Friday, January 09, 2009
Confusion over USA's new entry rules for travellers
Australians travelling to the US next week could be blocked from boarding their flights should they fail to comply with little-publicised new entry requirements.
The new rules are part of the US Government's attempts to strengthen border security after the attacks of September 11, 2001, but there appears to be confusion in Australia about who will enforce them.
smh.com.au
The new rules are part of the US Government's attempts to strengthen border security after the attacks of September 11, 2001, but there appears to be confusion in Australia about who will enforce them.
smh.com.au
Sunday, October 19, 2008
US extends visa waiver programme
President George W Bush has announced that the United States is to cancel visa requirements for citizens of six European countries and South Korea.
Mr Bush said Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea would be added to the US visa waiver programme in a month.
news.bbc.co.uk
Mr Bush said Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea would be added to the US visa waiver programme in a month.
news.bbc.co.uk
Saturday, October 18, 2008
US shifts Visa Waiver Program authorization to Internet
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Travellers from Japan, western Europe and a number of other countries must request authorization to enter the United States on the Internet from January 2009, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday.
These countries are currently exempt from visa requirements to enter the United States for short visits under the Visa Waiver Program, and the new program will keep travel to the United States "visa free" for travelers from VWP countries.
Instead of travellers filling out paper I-94 visa waiver cards en route to the United States, the new measure requires online registration.
In a statement, the DHS said mandatory prior visa authorization is required for travelers from January 12, 2009. The service has accepted voluntary visa applications for over two months, since August 1.
"Over 200,000 travelers have sought electronic travel authorization in the weeks since the site went live, and 99.6 percent of them have been approved the vast majority in under one minute," said DHS assistant secretary for policy Stewart Baker.
"Obtaining this advance information makes visa-free travel more secure, an enhancement that allows us to expand the valuable Visa Waiver Program."
The new measure is among the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which sought to promote laws that tighten border security in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The DHS recommends that applications are submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans. Upon authorization, travelers can enter the United States for 90 days for business or pleasure. The website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Instructions on how to obtain travel authorization are available on the website in English and 13 other languages -- Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish.
Citizens of 27 nations -- including several EU member states as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Brunei -- are covered by the Visa Waiver Program.
Source: news.google.com
These countries are currently exempt from visa requirements to enter the United States for short visits under the Visa Waiver Program, and the new program will keep travel to the United States "visa free" for travelers from VWP countries.
Instead of travellers filling out paper I-94 visa waiver cards en route to the United States, the new measure requires online registration.
In a statement, the DHS said mandatory prior visa authorization is required for travelers from January 12, 2009. The service has accepted voluntary visa applications for over two months, since August 1.
"Over 200,000 travelers have sought electronic travel authorization in the weeks since the site went live, and 99.6 percent of them have been approved the vast majority in under one minute," said DHS assistant secretary for policy Stewart Baker.
"Obtaining this advance information makes visa-free travel more secure, an enhancement that allows us to expand the valuable Visa Waiver Program."
The new measure is among the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which sought to promote laws that tighten border security in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The DHS recommends that applications are submitted as soon as an applicant begins making travel plans. Upon authorization, travelers can enter the United States for 90 days for business or pleasure. The website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Instructions on how to obtain travel authorization are available on the website in English and 13 other languages -- Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish.
Citizens of 27 nations -- including several EU member states as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Brunei -- are covered by the Visa Waiver Program.
Source: news.google.com
Thursday, July 24, 2008
EU warns US of visa retaliation
The European Commission has warned it may force US diplomats to apply for visas to travel within the European Union from next year
The commission's move is in retaliation for the US' failure to broaden visa-free travel to all EU member states.
Currently, 12 EU member states require a visa when travelling to the US and the commission said "no tangible progress" had been made to change this.
Most older EU states are already part of a visa-waiver programme.
"The commission will propose retaliatory measures eg temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved," the commission said in a statement.
Citizens of 11 of the 12 mostly ex-communist countries which joined the 27-member bloc in 2004 and 2007, as well as Greece, have to apply for visas before they are allowed to enter the US.
"It is unacceptable that nationals from some third countries can benefit from visa-free travel to the EU whilst some of our fellow EU citizens cannot travel visa-free to those countries," the EU's Justice and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement.
The US says that its policy has been to treat each country on a case-by-case basis and to lift or impose visa requirements according to security issues.
The lack of progress in talks on the matter between the EU and the US has led some countries - including Latvia and Estonia - to negotiate their own bilateral deals directly with Washington.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
The commission's move is in retaliation for the US' failure to broaden visa-free travel to all EU member states.
Currently, 12 EU member states require a visa when travelling to the US and the commission said "no tangible progress" had been made to change this.
Most older EU states are already part of a visa-waiver programme.
"The commission will propose retaliatory measures eg temporary restoration of the visa requirement for US nationals holding diplomatic and service/official passports as from 1 January 2009 if no progress is achieved," the commission said in a statement.
Citizens of 11 of the 12 mostly ex-communist countries which joined the 27-member bloc in 2004 and 2007, as well as Greece, have to apply for visas before they are allowed to enter the US.
"It is unacceptable that nationals from some third countries can benefit from visa-free travel to the EU whilst some of our fellow EU citizens cannot travel visa-free to those countries," the EU's Justice and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement.
The US says that its policy has been to treat each country on a case-by-case basis and to lift or impose visa requirements according to security issues.
The lack of progress in talks on the matter between the EU and the US has led some countries - including Latvia and Estonia - to negotiate their own bilateral deals directly with Washington.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Labels: European Union, USA, visa
Monday, July 21, 2008
Travelers start applying for pocket-sized passport
People who chafe at the cost of a passport or worry about carrying one to the beach soon will have a cheaper, easier option.
The government is on the cusp of releasing passport cards that fit in a wallet and cost half the price of a new passport. About 350,000 Americans have applied for the new card, the latest step toward ratcheting up border security.
People who apply now can expect a four-week wait for cards after the government mails them out to earlier applicants.
The U.S. State Department expects the number of applicants to swell to 4 million by June 1, 2009. That's when U.S. travelers cannot re-enter the country from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean without a passport, a new passport card or an equivalent document.
Starting in January, travelers could no longer re-enter the country from Mexico or Canada by verbally declaring their U.S. citizenship. They must carry valid travel and identification documents, but a grace period remains in effect until next summer.
The changes stem from the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, one of a string of post-Sept. 11 security requirements. Gradually, the government has tightened travel ID procedures in an effort to better track who enters and leaves the country.
Ultimately, many millions of passport cards should be in circulation, helping day-trippers and frequent visitors who travel by land or sea. A regular passport is required for air travel.
The government issued 18 million regular passports last year, and the number is steadily climbing.
The State Department is encouraging people to apply early for the cards, in part to avoid the kind of rush on documents that happened a year ago when the government required a passport for people flying into the United States from elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Project manager Derwood Staeben said 200,000 people submitted comments and many complained about the cost and inconvenience of getting passports.
The new cards fit inside a wallet and, for first-time adult applicants, will cost $45, compared with $100 for a first-time traditional passport. For people who hold a passport or apply for one simultaneously, the card will cost an extra $20.
One concern for privacy advocates is that each passport card will contain an embedded radio transmitter chip. Known as RFID, the technology is controversial because critics fear that data from the chips could unknowingly be lifted by remote readers, in what's called "skimming."
Staeben said a skimmer would only get a meaningless ID number from the passport cards. The number allows customs agents to automatically pull up a passport file on a computer from government databases, but skimmers would not have access to the raw data. As an added precaution, travelers could cover their cards in a sleeve that blocks transmissions.
RFID chips have been embedded in every passport issued since August 2006. Staeben said security measures, including an embedded metal cage to block out skimmers, were featured in the newer passports to protect privacy and combat skimming.
Source: usatoday.com
The government is on the cusp of releasing passport cards that fit in a wallet and cost half the price of a new passport. About 350,000 Americans have applied for the new card, the latest step toward ratcheting up border security.
People who apply now can expect a four-week wait for cards after the government mails them out to earlier applicants.
The U.S. State Department expects the number of applicants to swell to 4 million by June 1, 2009. That's when U.S. travelers cannot re-enter the country from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean without a passport, a new passport card or an equivalent document.
Starting in January, travelers could no longer re-enter the country from Mexico or Canada by verbally declaring their U.S. citizenship. They must carry valid travel and identification documents, but a grace period remains in effect until next summer.
The changes stem from the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, one of a string of post-Sept. 11 security requirements. Gradually, the government has tightened travel ID procedures in an effort to better track who enters and leaves the country.
Ultimately, many millions of passport cards should be in circulation, helping day-trippers and frequent visitors who travel by land or sea. A regular passport is required for air travel.
The government issued 18 million regular passports last year, and the number is steadily climbing.
The State Department is encouraging people to apply early for the cards, in part to avoid the kind of rush on documents that happened a year ago when the government required a passport for people flying into the United States from elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Project manager Derwood Staeben said 200,000 people submitted comments and many complained about the cost and inconvenience of getting passports.
The new cards fit inside a wallet and, for first-time adult applicants, will cost $45, compared with $100 for a first-time traditional passport. For people who hold a passport or apply for one simultaneously, the card will cost an extra $20.
One concern for privacy advocates is that each passport card will contain an embedded radio transmitter chip. Known as RFID, the technology is controversial because critics fear that data from the chips could unknowingly be lifted by remote readers, in what's called "skimming."
Staeben said a skimmer would only get a meaningless ID number from the passport cards. The number allows customs agents to automatically pull up a passport file on a computer from government databases, but skimmers would not have access to the raw data. As an added precaution, travelers could cover their cards in a sleeve that blocks transmissions.
RFID chips have been embedded in every passport issued since August 2006. Staeben said security measures, including an embedded metal cage to block out skimmers, were featured in the newer passports to protect privacy and combat skimming.
Source: usatoday.com
Friday, July 11, 2008
U.S. Senate panel votes to expand Cuba travel
A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday approved legislation that would undo tougher travel restrictions to Cuba imposed by the Bush administration in 2004, but Republican opposition could stop the measure.
The change approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee would allow Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba once a year to visit relatives. It would also allow them to spend more money there, about $160 a day.
The current restrictions allow limited family travel from the U.S. to Cuba -- trips lasting a maximum of 14 days once every three years. Daily spending is limited to $50.
If approved, the change would put U.S. travel policy to Cuba back to where it was before the restrictions were introduced by President George W. Bush in 2004.
The restrictions, aimed at reducing income obtained by Cuba's communist state from the visits, excluded aunts, uncles and first cousins from family travel to the Caribbean island.
Under the bill approved by the committee, Cuban-Americans could seek emergency visits and more relatives would qualify for the trips.
Similar legislation was approved last month by a House panel.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat pushing to loosen the travel restrictions, cited problems encountered by a U.S. soldier who served in Iraq. Upon returning to the United States, the soldier wanted to visit his sick child in Cuba but was denied the emergency visit.
"That kind of perversion is nonsense," Dorgan said.
Democrats are attaching the policy change to a fiscal 2009 spending bill for the Treasury Department and other agencies that might not be completed by Congress until early next year.
The Senate measure, like the House bill, also would loosen agricultural trade restrictions to Cuba imposed by the Bush administration.
It would lift a requirement that forces Cuban importers to prepay all shipments, instead of the more usual arrangement other countries enjoy in which payment is made when the commodities are delivered.
Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, warned the committee that the Bush administration is "quite concerned" about the Cuba policy changes in the bill.
He added that unnamed senators likely would put a hold on the legislation, because of the changes to Cuba policy, blocking its consideration by the full Senate.
Source: uk.reuters.com
The change approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee would allow Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba once a year to visit relatives. It would also allow them to spend more money there, about $160 a day.
The current restrictions allow limited family travel from the U.S. to Cuba -- trips lasting a maximum of 14 days once every three years. Daily spending is limited to $50.
If approved, the change would put U.S. travel policy to Cuba back to where it was before the restrictions were introduced by President George W. Bush in 2004.
The restrictions, aimed at reducing income obtained by Cuba's communist state from the visits, excluded aunts, uncles and first cousins from family travel to the Caribbean island.
Under the bill approved by the committee, Cuban-Americans could seek emergency visits and more relatives would qualify for the trips.
Similar legislation was approved last month by a House panel.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat pushing to loosen the travel restrictions, cited problems encountered by a U.S. soldier who served in Iraq. Upon returning to the United States, the soldier wanted to visit his sick child in Cuba but was denied the emergency visit.
"That kind of perversion is nonsense," Dorgan said.
Democrats are attaching the policy change to a fiscal 2009 spending bill for the Treasury Department and other agencies that might not be completed by Congress until early next year.
The Senate measure, like the House bill, also would loosen agricultural trade restrictions to Cuba imposed by the Bush administration.
It would lift a requirement that forces Cuban importers to prepay all shipments, instead of the more usual arrangement other countries enjoy in which payment is made when the commodities are delivered.
Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, warned the committee that the Bush administration is "quite concerned" about the Cuba policy changes in the bill.
He added that unnamed senators likely would put a hold on the legislation, because of the changes to Cuba policy, blocking its consideration by the full Senate.
Source: uk.reuters.com
Labels: Cuba, travel ban, USA
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Travel experts: US share of foreign tourists slips
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Despite the weak U.S. dollar, a boom in international travel around the world hasn't translated into an explosion of foreign tourists to the United States.
Explanations range from post-9/11 security headaches and lower airfares elsewhere to poor marketing by the U.S. Whatever the cause, travel industry experts say the U.S. is missing an opportunity to make up for the shortfall in domestic tourism caused by high fuel prices.
At Heli USA Airways, one of several operators that whisk visitors on aerial tours of the Las Vegas Strip and nearby Grand Canyon, vice president of marketing and sales John Power said the faltering U.S. economy and competition from other countries are crimping business.
"Right now, there's some other worldwide destinations that are taking some of the marketplace," said Power.
According to the U.N. World Tourism Organization, the United States had 51 million international visitors in 2000, more than 7 percent of the 682 million international arrivals worldwide. But as international arrivals worldwide jumped to 846 million in 2006, the U.S. saw roughly the same number of visitors as it used to - dropping its share to 6 percent.
The U.S. share of international tourism dollars has slipped too, though the U.S. still drew more money than any other single country in 2006 and more than it did in 2000. From 16 percent of the market in 2000, or $82.4 billion, the U.S. took in 12 percent of the $733 billion worldwide tourism market, or $86 billion in 2006.
Major destinations such as Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston all saw 20 percent to 34 percent fewer travelers in 2006 compared with 2000. Of the top 10 cities, only New York saw more visitors in 2006 than in 2000, with a 9 percent increase to 6.2 million arrivals, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
Nearly 26 million people traveled to the United States from overseas in 2000. But that dropped drastically after 9/11, according to data from the U.S. Commerce Department's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. The number bottomed out in 2003 with 18 million overseas visitors, and with 24 million last year still had not returned to previous levels. The figures do not include visitors from Canada and Mexico, whose numbers are up substantially from 2000 but who tend to spend less than other international travelers to the U.S.
Part of the problem is the perception of frosty U.S. attitudes toward foreigners starting at customs, said Roger Dow, president of the Travel Industry Association. That and other factors make it difficult to attract more overseas travelers.
The U.S. should decode its complex entry rules and boost staffing at customs checkpoints, Dow and others said.
"The perception is in spades that we're less welcoming" than other countries, he said.
Vivian Dapal of EuroUSA, a travel agency that caters to groups from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and Theresa Belpusi, who promotes Washington, D.C., with Destination DC, said American airports are particularly confusing.
"I don't think that people are questioning that we're trying to get our arms around security," Belpusi said. But she said the government should communicate better with "the people that are probably affected the most" - the tourists.
Frequent U.S. visitor George Somerville, of Glasgow, Scotland, said international flights are generally cheaper to places other than the United States.
"In the last 12 months, destinations my colleagues have traveled to include China twice, Singapore, India and Thailand," he said. "Much of that is to do with the price of flights - Air Asia, Emirates and Singapore airlines are doing great deals from the U.K."
Somerville, 40, called customs here a "daunting prospect" that requires fingerprints and retinal scans.
Some in the travel industry also blame how the U.S. markets itself abroad.
Paula Bohaty, a group travel manager for the Nebraska Division of Travel & Tourism, said the industry would benefit from marketing smaller destinations that foreign travelers aren't familiar with and from pitching experiences foreign travelers find novel - like working on a farm.
Top destination cities are spending millions to promote themselves abroad and often compete with one another for foreign visitors, meaning less-obvious destinations with smaller marketing budgets have trouble being heard.
The industry is pushing a bill that would impose a fee on overseas travelers - to be matched by the industry, for about $200 million in all - to fund marketing to foreign visitors and communication of U.S. visa rules. Dow said other countries already do the same.
"It's public diplomacy on the cheap," he said.
The bill has been referred to a House subcommittee and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Meantime, Power said his Las Vegas tour company would continue pushing for foreign travelers, but he called on all players to step up.
"Whose customers are they really? Is it the airline, is it the hotel they stay at, is it the sightseeing operator that they go to do an experience with, is it the car rental company?" Power asked. "Ultimately, they're everybody's, and everybody's got to be on the same page."
Source: news.google.com
Explanations range from post-9/11 security headaches and lower airfares elsewhere to poor marketing by the U.S. Whatever the cause, travel industry experts say the U.S. is missing an opportunity to make up for the shortfall in domestic tourism caused by high fuel prices.
At Heli USA Airways, one of several operators that whisk visitors on aerial tours of the Las Vegas Strip and nearby Grand Canyon, vice president of marketing and sales John Power said the faltering U.S. economy and competition from other countries are crimping business.
"Right now, there's some other worldwide destinations that are taking some of the marketplace," said Power.
According to the U.N. World Tourism Organization, the United States had 51 million international visitors in 2000, more than 7 percent of the 682 million international arrivals worldwide. But as international arrivals worldwide jumped to 846 million in 2006, the U.S. saw roughly the same number of visitors as it used to - dropping its share to 6 percent.
The U.S. share of international tourism dollars has slipped too, though the U.S. still drew more money than any other single country in 2006 and more than it did in 2000. From 16 percent of the market in 2000, or $82.4 billion, the U.S. took in 12 percent of the $733 billion worldwide tourism market, or $86 billion in 2006.
Major destinations such as Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston all saw 20 percent to 34 percent fewer travelers in 2006 compared with 2000. Of the top 10 cities, only New York saw more visitors in 2006 than in 2000, with a 9 percent increase to 6.2 million arrivals, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
Nearly 26 million people traveled to the United States from overseas in 2000. But that dropped drastically after 9/11, according to data from the U.S. Commerce Department's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. The number bottomed out in 2003 with 18 million overseas visitors, and with 24 million last year still had not returned to previous levels. The figures do not include visitors from Canada and Mexico, whose numbers are up substantially from 2000 but who tend to spend less than other international travelers to the U.S.
Part of the problem is the perception of frosty U.S. attitudes toward foreigners starting at customs, said Roger Dow, president of the Travel Industry Association. That and other factors make it difficult to attract more overseas travelers.
The U.S. should decode its complex entry rules and boost staffing at customs checkpoints, Dow and others said.
"The perception is in spades that we're less welcoming" than other countries, he said.
Vivian Dapal of EuroUSA, a travel agency that caters to groups from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and Theresa Belpusi, who promotes Washington, D.C., with Destination DC, said American airports are particularly confusing.
"I don't think that people are questioning that we're trying to get our arms around security," Belpusi said. But she said the government should communicate better with "the people that are probably affected the most" - the tourists.
Frequent U.S. visitor George Somerville, of Glasgow, Scotland, said international flights are generally cheaper to places other than the United States.
"In the last 12 months, destinations my colleagues have traveled to include China twice, Singapore, India and Thailand," he said. "Much of that is to do with the price of flights - Air Asia, Emirates and Singapore airlines are doing great deals from the U.K."
Somerville, 40, called customs here a "daunting prospect" that requires fingerprints and retinal scans.
Some in the travel industry also blame how the U.S. markets itself abroad.
Paula Bohaty, a group travel manager for the Nebraska Division of Travel & Tourism, said the industry would benefit from marketing smaller destinations that foreign travelers aren't familiar with and from pitching experiences foreign travelers find novel - like working on a farm.
Top destination cities are spending millions to promote themselves abroad and often compete with one another for foreign visitors, meaning less-obvious destinations with smaller marketing budgets have trouble being heard.
The industry is pushing a bill that would impose a fee on overseas travelers - to be matched by the industry, for about $200 million in all - to fund marketing to foreign visitors and communication of U.S. visa rules. Dow said other countries already do the same.
"It's public diplomacy on the cheap," he said.
The bill has been referred to a House subcommittee and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Meantime, Power said his Las Vegas tour company would continue pushing for foreign travelers, but he called on all players to step up.
"Whose customers are they really? Is it the airline, is it the hotel they stay at, is it the sightseeing operator that they go to do an experience with, is it the car rental company?" Power asked. "Ultimately, they're everybody's, and everybody's got to be on the same page."
Source: news.google.com
Saturday, June 14, 2008
As oil rises, Americans rediscover rail travel
As oil prices spike, many Americans are rediscovering the railroad.
Amtrak, America's struggling passenger railroad, saw record numbers in May when ridership rose 12.3 per cent from a year earlier, and ticket sales climbed 15.6 per cent, according to company data.
theage.com.au
Amtrak, America's struggling passenger railroad, saw record numbers in May when ridership rose 12.3 per cent from a year earlier, and ticket sales climbed 15.6 per cent, according to company data.
theage.com.au
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Aussie tourists to register for US entry
The US Government is imposing tougher restrictions on Australians wanting to visit America.
Australia is currently one of more than two dozen countries that enjoy visa waiver rights for short-term travel to the US.
But from the beginning of next year Australians wanting to travel to America will have to register with the US Government at least three days in advance.
US Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff says the move will help identify potential terrorists.
"It's very important to us to remain a welcoming country to visitors and business travellers and students from around the world, at the same time, recognise the importance of maintaining vigorous security standards," he said.
"Recent intelligence has underscored the fact that Al Qaeda and similar extremists are attempting to recruit operatives who blend in to western society."
Travellers will not be allowed on planes or cruise ships unless they produce this new US Government authorisation.
Source: au.news.yahoo.com
Australia is currently one of more than two dozen countries that enjoy visa waiver rights for short-term travel to the US.
But from the beginning of next year Australians wanting to travel to America will have to register with the US Government at least three days in advance.
US Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff says the move will help identify potential terrorists.
"It's very important to us to remain a welcoming country to visitors and business travellers and students from around the world, at the same time, recognise the importance of maintaining vigorous security standards," he said.
"Recent intelligence has underscored the fact that Al Qaeda and similar extremists are attempting to recruit operatives who blend in to western society."
Travellers will not be allowed on planes or cruise ships unless they produce this new US Government authorisation.
Source: au.news.yahoo.com
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Survey: Americans make 41 million fewer air trips
WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly half of American air travelers would fly more if it were easier, and more than one fourth said they skipped at least one air trip in the past 12 months because of the hassles involved, according to an industry survey.
The Travel Industry Association, which commissioned the survey released Thursday, estimated that the 41 million forgone trips cost the travel industry $18.1 billion - including $9.4 billion to airlines, $5.6 billion to hotels and $3.1 billion - and it cost federal, state and local authorities $4.2 billion in taxes in the past 12 months.
When 28 percent of air travelers avoided an average of 1.3 trips each, that resulted in 29 million leisure trips and 12 million business trips not being taken, the researchers estimated.
The survey results did not address whether travelers chose alternate transportation to pursue any of the journeys they didn't take by plane. The association estimated overall travel industry revenue at $740 billion.
Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. based association, said the research "should be a wake up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
"The air travel crisis has hit a tipping point - more than 100,000 travelers each day are voting with their wallets by choosing to avoid trips," Dow said in a statement.
That's a big blow to airlines, many of which are losing money as the industry struggles with soaring fuel costs. Carriers have raised fares, added fees, cut capacity and scaled back expansion plans, and some small airlines have declared bankruptcy, while Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. announced plans to combine in an effort to reduce costs.
In all, 44 percent of the 1,003 air travelers surveyed by phone from May 6 to May 13 said they would take more air trips each year if airport hassles could be reduced or eliminated. The survey, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates Inc. and The Winston Group, had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
People who flew more than five times in the past 12 months were more likely to describe air travel as frustrating, at 52 percent, compared with 33 percent of infrequent travelers, defined as people who flew one or two round trips in 12 months, according to the survey.
More than half of respondents said either efficiency or reliability is getting worse, 60 percent said the system is deteriorating, and 56 percent said flying is the "bad" or "worst" part of travel - though 62 percent said air travel security is improving.
Source: news.google.com
The Travel Industry Association, which commissioned the survey released Thursday, estimated that the 41 million forgone trips cost the travel industry $18.1 billion - including $9.4 billion to airlines, $5.6 billion to hotels and $3.1 billion - and it cost federal, state and local authorities $4.2 billion in taxes in the past 12 months.
When 28 percent of air travelers avoided an average of 1.3 trips each, that resulted in 29 million leisure trips and 12 million business trips not being taken, the researchers estimated.
The survey results did not address whether travelers chose alternate transportation to pursue any of the journeys they didn't take by plane. The association estimated overall travel industry revenue at $740 billion.
Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. based association, said the research "should be a wake up call to America's policy leaders that the time for meaningful air system reform is now."
"The air travel crisis has hit a tipping point - more than 100,000 travelers each day are voting with their wallets by choosing to avoid trips," Dow said in a statement.
That's a big blow to airlines, many of which are losing money as the industry struggles with soaring fuel costs. Carriers have raised fares, added fees, cut capacity and scaled back expansion plans, and some small airlines have declared bankruptcy, while Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. announced plans to combine in an effort to reduce costs.
In all, 44 percent of the 1,003 air travelers surveyed by phone from May 6 to May 13 said they would take more air trips each year if airport hassles could be reduced or eliminated. The survey, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates Inc. and The Winston Group, had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
People who flew more than five times in the past 12 months were more likely to describe air travel as frustrating, at 52 percent, compared with 33 percent of infrequent travelers, defined as people who flew one or two round trips in 12 months, according to the survey.
More than half of respondents said either efficiency or reliability is getting worse, 60 percent said the system is deteriorating, and 56 percent said flying is the "bad" or "worst" part of travel - though 62 percent said air travel security is improving.
Source: news.google.com
Labels: air travel, USA
Friday, March 14, 2008
EU, US for talks over visa-free travel
The EU expects tough talks with the US on visa-free travel, after Washington signed separate deals with some EU members instead of the bloc as a whole.
rte.ie
rte.ie
Labels: European Union, USA, visa
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Holiday travelers hit the road, sky
Americans packed up and headed to airports and train stations hours ahead of time Wednesday to get a jump on what was predicted to be the largest Thanksgiving pilgrimage ever despite rising gas prices and fears of air delays.
news.yahoo.com (page not found)
news.yahoo.com (page not found)
Labels: holiday travel, USA
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Canadians confused about when they need passport to travel to U.S.: survey
Many Canadians are confused about when a passport is required to enter the United States, even though a majority believe they are aware of current regulations, a new survey suggests.
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
Friday, November 02, 2007
'Unwelcoming' US sees sharp fall in visitors since 9/11
The number of foreign visitors to the United States has plummeted since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington because foreigners don't feel welcome, tourism professionals said Thursday.
news.yahoo.com (page not found)
news.yahoo.com (page not found)
Friday, October 05, 2007
Passport now required for some air travel
U.S. citizens now required to have passport for air travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
ifallsdailyjournal.com
ifallsdailyjournal.com
Sunday, September 23, 2007
US issues new travel warning
The US Department of State on Friday issued a travel warning that informed US citizens of ongoing security concerns in Pakistan.
dailytimes.com.pk
dailytimes.com.pk
Labels: pakistan, travel warning, USA
Friday, September 14, 2007
Wait for passports returns to normal
The U.S. State Department has restored passport service to the standard six to eight week processing time for routine applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service.
seattletimes.nwsource.com
seattletimes.nwsource.com
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
More riders wanted for rail travel
Illinois a good model for improving service. Proponents of high-speed rail gathered Monday at Amtrak stops including Springfield, Galesburg and Macomb to tout increased ridership and announce a new Web site to make it easier for people to get information about the trains.
pjstar.com (page not found)
pjstar.com (page not found)
Labels: amtrak, high-speed train, USA
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Thousands of Americans flout U.S. travel ban to see 'forbidden fruit' of Cuba
...thousands of U.S. tourists already travel to Cuba behind Washington's back and many say being sneaky is part of the fun. Some are scrambling to get to the island while Fidel Castro is still alive, fearing the U.S. government could scrap the travel ban once he's gone and bring profound change to Cuba.
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
canadianpress.google.com (page not found)
Labels: Cuba, travel ban, USA
U.S. nominates Greece to join program for visa-free travel
Greece took a step on Monday toward becoming the first country to benefit from a new U.S. law that would expand a program for visa-free travel to the United States.
nytimes.com
nytimes.com
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Renewed Interest in High-Speed Rail
While sleek new passenger trains streak through Europe, Japan and other corners of the world at speeds nearing 200 mph, most U.S. passenger trains chug along at little more than highway speeds - slowed by a half-century of federal preference for spending on roads and airports.
ap.google.com (page not found)
ap.google.com (page not found)
Labels: high-speed train, USA
Saturday, August 25, 2007
New visa to help Australia-US ties
A new visa to attract more US backpackers to Australia would strengthen ties between the two countries, a tourism industry leader says.
au.news.yahoo.com (page not found)
au.news.yahoo.com (page not found)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Canada-U.S. travel increases
Same day car trips in both directions across the Canada-U.S. border increased for the fourth straight month in June.
thestar.com
thestar.com
Monday, July 30, 2007
American visitors to Cuba who defied travel ban return to U.S. via Peace Bridge
About 80 people who defied the U.S. government's ban on most travel to Cuba crossed back into the United States from Canada at the Peace Bridge after a two-week trip to the communist island nation.
iht.com
iht.com
Friday, July 06, 2007
U.S Senate bill seeks to attract more visitors from abroad
The United States has lost billions of dollars and an immeasurable amount of good will since the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks because of a decline in foreign tourists. Several senators are now trying to get the U.S. government involved in bringing those visitors back.
iht.com
iht.com
Labels: foreign tourists, USA
Sunday, May 20, 2007
US to tighten entry rules
The US Homeland Security chief has revealed plans to enforce strict new entry laws that could see British travellers being forced to apply for visas to enter the USA.
timesonline.co.uk
timesonline.co.uk
Monday, April 16, 2007
Storms ground hundreds of US flights
Airlines have cancelled more than 400 flights at the New York area's major airports after powerful storms battered the east coast.
independent.co.uk
independent.co.uk
Labels: east coast, storms, USA
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