US Travel Association Says Country Must 'Evolve' to Stay Competitive in Travel

At this week’s IPW in San Antonio, Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the United States Travel Association, told attendees that the industry needs to “see around corners” and anticipate challenges that weren't on the radar five or 10 years ago.

Freeman explained how it is critical to constantly evolve to meet travelers’ needs and ensure that the country’s entry process is not only secure, but simple, efficient, and welcoming. Another important aspect for increasing inbound visitors to the United States, according to Freeman, is that our transportation systems are seamless, modern, and efficient.

“The Biden administration has set an ambitious goal of welcoming 90 million international visitors and $280 billion in spending annually by 2027. To meet this goal, we need to be laser-focused on removing barriers to international travel. And we need to be more urgent, more aggressive, and more intentional than we’ve been in the past,” said Freeman. Freeman highlighted four specific aspects of travel that need to be addressed for the U.S. to be able to better compete with other global destinations for travel dollars.

1. Lowering visa wait times.

Freeman explained that excessive wait times for visa interviews affect too many valuable source markets. More than 40% of all travelers to the U.S. are required to get a visa, and he said the average wait times are “simply unacceptable.”

There were audible gasps in the audience as Freeman showed a graphic listing current average wait times for first-time U.S. visa applicants of 527 days in Brazil, 406 days in India, and 647 days in Mexico.

“Much of Latin and South America also face successive wait times. U.S. Travel is leading the charge to address this issue. And we are pushing the government to solve the problem. The Department of State has made some progress ... we need the Biden administration to focus because travelers are not going to wait 500 or 600 days to get a visa to travel here,” he said.

To communicate the toll of these challenges, U.S. Travel has launched an initiative called “They wait, we lose” and created a website called USvisadelays.com with personal stories of how travelers are being affected. Freeman encouraged industry people to highlight this tool so travelers can continue to share their stories—as the U.S. Travel is continuing to share these stories with government leaders.

2. Addressing entry delays at U.S. Customs.

In April, according to Freeman, international visitors at top U.S. airports frequently experienced average wait times of more than one hour. “It’s frustrating. Some of you may have experienced this yourself when you came to the United States. The process needs to be as efficient and secure as possible. We need to have enough customs officers at airports and other points of entry, particularly as demand increases. We are currently 1,700 CBP officers short of where we need to be. U.S. Travel is actively advocating for funding for additional staff,” he said.

In the long run, Freeman said that the U.S. needs to put in place a policy where fewer travelers have to meet with a customs officer.

Another goal is more preclearance locations around the world to alleviate the pressure.

3. Improving our air travel experience.

Freeman told the audience that there needs to be an air travel system that is welcoming and efficient to U.S. visitors. U.S. Travel is aiming to have a world-class air travel system, one that is fully equipped to meet demand and do so efficiently.

“We’re working hard to make that happen,” he said. “In fact, U.S. Travel is engaged right now with transportation security experts to create a 10-year vision for the air travel system—a system that is seamless and secure. Three strategies we’re pursuing are increasing the trusted traveler program participation, expanding biometric technology at screening checkpoints, and doubling the list of preclearance locations around the world, eliminating the need for thousands of international arrivals to go through customs when they land in the U.S.”

Freeman noted that more than 50% of all American travelers say that they are willing to share more biometric information in exchange for a better travel experience.

4. Increasing our global competitiveness.

Freeman said that the U.S. Travel is mindful that travel is a highly competitive industry.

“We see what other countries are doing to attract travelers. And clearly the U.S. must do the same. A significant recent development is the creation of the Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism within the Department of Commerce. This new position should put the U.S. on par with every other G20 nation that has a Minister of Tourism,” Freeman explained. “The United States has never had such a high-level, Senate-confirmed official tasked solely with developing and coordinating a national travel strategy.”

He said this new position is crucial for helping the country compete for visitors, as well as for large international meetings and events. According to Freeman, Congress is still working on the funding for this program.

“But we know that this is a win for the industry,” he said. “And this is a win for travelers around the world. We’ve made a lot of progress in building back international travel since the world shut down a little over three years ago. But there is so much more potential to grow this sector over the coming years to build an industry that works more seamlessly and to improve and modernize our systems. We must remain fiercely competitive in an ever more competitive travel environment. At U.S. Travel, we have a clear vision. We’re putting that vision into action. And we’re confident that it will help the United States attract more visitors.”

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