Groups Aim to Improve U.S. Image, Visa Process

The federal government postponed until September the rule requiring U.S. citizens to hold passports when returning home by air from other North American countries. Good enough, but the real concern for the tradeshow industry is the difficulty international travelers have in trying to visit the United States.

"Most (SISO) members target that area when looking to grow their event," said Mary Beth Rebedeau, executive director of the Society for Independent Show Organizers, of international attendees at shows.

And yet, while it is hard to quantify the number of people who are not visiting the U.S. for tradeshows, the country did have about 2.4 million fewer visits in 2005 from the five countries that regularly record the most foreign visitors — the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France and Brazil — than it did in 2000, said Steven Hacker, president of the Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions & Events.

"It's huge," he added. "It's the loss of customers."

It's a problem that's getting some attention from IAEE and other industry organizations.

The Professional Convention Management Assn. recently pledged $25,000 to the Discover America Partnership, an initiative to strengthen America's image abroad. IAEE also is involved with the partnership and recently held a Web conference for its members on the topic of overcoming obstacles with visas to the U.S. SISO put together a Web site and a white paper addressing the process.

Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA, said the association provided the financial support to Discover America because PCMA shares the group's goals.

"I think this group has done a lot of really wonderful things," she added.

According to the partnership's 60-page blueprint, the initiative has three goals:

• create a 21st-century visa system that will improve security and process travelers quicker
• modernize and secure points of entry
• change perceptions of the U.S. that turn away travelers

One of those goals got a vote of confidence recently — approval in the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee of the Travel Promotion Act, which would create a program consistent with the blueprint's goal to change the perception of the U.S.

"I think this is a great step for everyone involved in travel," said Jeff Freeman, executive director of Discover America, adding the House was scheduled to introduce similar legislation after the Fourth of July recess.

Other bills passing through the legislative process also include reforms to achieve the goals in the blueprint.

"The support (of legislators) for these reforms is there," Freeman said.

He added he expects legislative changes for the blueprint's goals to go into effect this year. But it's the cultural changes — "where we see travelers as more of an asset than a threat" — that will take work, Freeman said.

One way the blueprint proposes improvement to the visa system is by processing visitors entering the U.S. in 30 minutes or less. "Travelers cite the lengthy visa process and the often confusing and claustrophobic entry process as evidence that — as one survey showed — the U.S. has the 'world's worst' entry process," the blueprint states.

The plan also suggests an international registered traveler program, which would allow more convenience to foreign travelers who frequently visit the U.S.

"It's hard to understand why those people aren't able to gain almost instant access to a visa," Hacker said.

The policies are keeping key buyers and exhibitors from coming to tradeshows in the U.S., he added, and impact the integrity of several major events.

"We've been working on these issues for three years now," Hacker said.

Discover America surveyed people who traveled to the U.S. and learned that, while their visa and border-entry experiences were ranked unsatisfactory, their negative impressions changed once they spent some time in the country.

PCMA called for other industry organizations to pledge a minimum of $100,000 to Discover America.

"It's nice to know that PCMA has joined in. The more the better, frankly," Hacker said. "Any organization that has a stake in raising international travel to the United States should be in support of it."

SISO hasn't looked at supporting Discover America but, Rebedeau said, it will be investigated and discussed at the organization's board meeting in August.

"When we see a worthy project, we will contribute," she added. "Worthy, as in work is being done that positively impacts members' businesses."

SISO is connected to the Discover America Partnership in a way, though. This year, SISO joined the Travel Business Roundtable, which has a role in the partnership.

"They do a lot of very good work on behalf of the travel industry in the government," Rebedeau added.

As for attracting more international visitors, she said that's a goal that "we all have to work together to accomplish."