THE UNITED States has announced a series of initiatives to increase its share of the international travel market, especially from emerging economies with growing middle classes – such as China, Brazil and India.
The Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior will co-lead an interagency task force to develop a National Travel & Tourism Strategy, and coordinate with the Corporation for Travel Promotion (currently known as BrandUSA) and Tourism Policy Council to ensure private sector participation and cross-agency coordination.
The Departments of State and Homeland Security will work towards increasing non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China by 40 per cent in 2012, and are aiming for 80 per cent of these applicants to be interviewed within three weeks of receiving their application.
Other efforts include a pilot programme and rule change for visa processing in China – to simplify and speed up or even waive the non-immigrant visa process for certain applicants, as well as an expansion of the Global Entry Programme, which facilitates expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the US.
In addition, Taiwan will be nominated to join the visa waiver programme, which allows participating nationals to travel to the US without a visa, for stays of 90 days or less.
Mike McCartney, president and CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority, said: “The initiatives to increase the number of Chinese visas processed, and ensuring that visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks, are huge milestones for Chinese tourism to the US and Hawaii.”
According to McCartney, Chinese arrivals to Hawaii are expected to reach 125,394 this year, up 28 per cent over 2011. Chinese visitors spend US$380 per person per day, more than any other market, he added.
The visa waiver status for Taiwan would be another boon, said McCartney.
“Following the visa waiver programme with South Korea in 2008, arrivals from the region increased 35 per cent and have grown year-after-year,” he said. “We would anticipate seeing similar growth out of Taiwan.”
