With international travel to the US continuing to slump, there was some industry relief with Congressional passage of a bill to ease visa requirements. But don’t get too comfortable, warns Arthur Frommer online in an editorial.
“Less noticed was a provision inserted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requiring foreign visitors to register their travel plans with that department at least 48 hours in advance of arrival,” said the site.
The provision has sent “shock waves” to Europe and will diminish the number of foreigners traveling to the US, “without any benefit at all to our security,” the site continues.
“If you were a foreigner considering a trip, and you heard of such burdensome rigamarole, would you visit the US — or go somewhere else? And couldn’t the terrorists, like Mohammed Atta (one of the 9/11 hijackers), simply inform us they were planning to visit friends and relatives?” Frommer asked.
Travel to the United States has declined by up to 20% since 9/11, causing a loss to the US economy of tens of billions of dollars, according to reports.
The new requirement is from the same people who, several months ago, divvied up funds for anti-terrorism equally among the cities — the same amount to Enid, Oklahoma, as to New York, the editorial says.
This situation caused Frommer to ask:
“How long will Michael Chertoff remain in charge of Homeland Security?”
Report by David Wilkening
