An integral part of expanding the U.S. trade show industry is having more international attendance, yet organizers continually receive complaints from foreign visitors who are unable to attend shows. The biggest impediment seems to be the difficulty of obtaining U.S. visitor visas for business travelers. This panel will not only take a look at the challenges through the experiences of show managers, but also what the U.S. Travel Association is doing to help lobby for new laws to ease travel restrictions.

2. Ready for Takeoff
A Plan to Create 1.3 Million U.S. Jobs
by Welcoming Millions of International
Travelers
Patricia Rojas
Vice President
Government Relations

3. Travel is an Export Leader
Exports in Billions
Travel 134.4
Business and
Professional services 128.3
Machinery 125.9
Basic
chemicals 124.3
Computers and
electronic products
120.9
Royalties and license 95.8
fees
Motor vehicles 94.0
Aerospace and other
transportation 81.8
Services
Agriculture 65.7
Manufacturing
Petroleum and coal 60.8 Agriculture

4. Overseas Travel to U.S.

5. Barriers to Visiting
Common Visa Barriers
Lack of prioritization of visa process
Inefficient and unpredictable visa process
Lack of access to U.S. consular facility
Poor customer service and communications
Inadequate visa application
Cost
Poor planning and analysis of growth in demand for visas
Inability to place needed resources to meet market needs
Inappropriate allocation of resources to meet demand
Barriers
Brazil No visa required to Europe; competitive disadvantage with top competitors
Excluded from VWP
Limited access to expedited services by tour operators
China One-year visas for the United States vs.10 year visas for most other countries
Group travel policy is underutilized
India Limited assistance available for incentive travel groups
Inadequate language capabilities of consular officers

6. Not a Cheap Place to Visit
Flight from Manaus
to Brasilia (4 passengers):
$1,726
Hotel (one night):
$170
Visa ($140 x 4):
$560
Application fee ($30 x 4):
$120
Passport delivery fee ($20 x
4):
$80
TOTAL:
$2,600

7. Regaining 17% share of global long-haul travel
would create 1.3 million jobs by 2020
Millions of jobs
1.33
million
jobs
2010 2015 2020
Source: U.S. Travel Association
Note: Each additional $X in spending creates one job.

8. Four-Step Plan to Increase Overseas Travel
And Create Jobs
1 Set a 12 day standard to process U.S. visas
and hire sufficient personnel
2 Improve planning, measurement and
transparency
3 Test videoconferencing technology for
visa interviews
4 Preserve and expand the Visa Waiver
Program

9. Get Involved Now!
1. Learn more at:
www.smartervisapolicy.
org.
2. Visit the online action
center at:
www.travelcoalition.org/
keyissues/visa

10. It’s Time For Takeoff!
Patricia Rojas
Vice President
Government Relations
projas@ustravel.org
202-408-2138