Skip to main content

Welcome to America, and Pay Ten Dollar

Image
By
With the attempt to raise $200 million a year for the U.S. travel and tourism industry, foreign visitors will soon need to pay a $10 fee for traveling into the U.S. The bill has been passed by the House; the Senate approved the legislation last Thursday.

While foreign travel worldwide increased 39% since 2000, the number in the U.S. is down 9% for the same period. With a $10 fee, the government plans to “attract 1.6 million additional foreign visitors annually, pumping $4 billion in the economy each year, and creating about 40,000 U.S. jobs.” I hope the government spends this $200 million wisely and turns the U.S. into a must-see destination. If nothing changes, I don’t see how adding a $10 fee will attract more visitors.

Assuming the government would successfully attract more foreign travelers, gateway cities like New York, San Francisco, and LA will probably benefit from this bill the most. California along is expected to see $650 million income from tourist spending and 6,500 more jobs annually. Places like Syracuse probably need to think of a better way to help themselves.

This bill will only apply to the visitors from 35 European and Asian countries who are under the visa waiver programs. Visitors from Mexico or Canada do not have to pay this fee. “Welcome to America, and pay a $10 fee.”

What are your opinions? How do you think this bill will affect the industry?

References:
LA Times: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok03012010
Picture was copied from: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok03012010P
Labels:

Comments

  1. Linchi KwokMarch 7, 2010 at 7:45 AM

    The update: President Obama signed the bill on March 5.
    http://hotel-online.com/News/2010_Mar_05/k.JIM.1267812755.html

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

By
Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, with
4 comments
Read more

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

By
Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P
25 comments
Read more

Besides helping the environment, what other benefits can restaurants see from green food packages?

By
Restaurant curbside pickup evolved from the old-fashioned takeout service and has gained momentum since COVID. Restaurateurs embrace the concept, and consumers want it. Curbside pickup will remain an essential restaurant distribution method even after the pandemic. Do off-premises restaurant services add a burden to the environment? The surge of restaurant off-premises services (curbside pickup, takeout, or delivery) could harm the environment because many retailers use food containers and packages made of plastic for one-time usage. Research shows that our world populations produce 130 million tons of single-use plastic a year (including more than food packages here), but in the U.S., only 8% of all plastic products get recycled. Some restaurants have begun using more sustainable materials in food packaging (e.g., disposable containers). Their efforts deserve a round of applause! Nevertheless, it is unclear if their good deeds can also bring them monetary rewards. For example, can gr
6 comments
Read more