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European and other foreign tourists shy away from U.S. - travel to America is down 17 percent since 2000
Paperwork and cranky customs officials -- not crime and terrorism -- are scaring foreign tourists away from the United States, according to a report released Wednesday.
Whether the problems foreign travelers face in the United States are real or perceived they are costly, according to the report titled "A Blueprint to Discover America." In addition to lost spending, the decline has resulted in nearly $16 billion in lost tax revenue since 2000 and deprives the economy of 194,200 jobs annually, it stated.
A group headed by former Department of Homeland of Security Director Tom Ridge called the Discover America Partnership published the paper. The group is sponsored by Travel Industry Association, a hospitality trade group. The report was one in a series highlighting the decline of foreign travel to the United States since 2000 and suggestions to reverse the trend. It said in one survey more travelers were concerned about U.S. immigration officials than the threat of crime or terrorism.
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