Re: Re: Visas to the U.S.
Formosano2000 said:
This is pure conjecture of course, but it seems the US has managed to alienate foreign visitors through all these security hassles and war on terrorism (real AND imagined) and cancellation of TROV program to such an extend that anybody who DOESN"T have to go to or through the US won't. This has got to hurt the bottomline in many local economies that rely on foreign visitors.
Bear in mind that Bush is seeking re-election next year and if the economy doen't pick up, he is likely to the same fate that befell his father.
I can speculate on this - we have customers who are Swiss financiers and an investment house, very active in the Central and South America. They decided a few months ago that they will not deal with American customers, and will not fly through an American airport. These are successful businessmen and certainly not hysterical people. But apparently their Chairman was hassled just one too many time with all the security measures that are being implemented. So, if there is one business making this decision, there certainly will be others.
On the other hand, my son (South African passport, US permanent resident) had a devil of a time these last months getting a visa for Sweden to visit some long-standing friends and tour Europe for two months. So, this is not only the US. For the US, I am quite sure that the security measures are hurting the economy.