Overseas travellers are avoiding the United States due to “embarrassingly” lengthy and inefficient customs and entry procedures at the nation’s gateway airports, according to a new survey released by Consensus Research Group and the US Travel Association.
From experience and word of mouth, at least 100 million overseas travellers are receiving the message to avoid travel to the US, the survey found.
The survey of overseas travellers who have visited or considered visiting the US in the last five years found that:
• 43% of travellers who have visited say they will recommend to others to avoid a trip to the US because of the entry process;
• Visitors to the US report that they tell, on average, eight others about their travel experiences – good or bad – creating a multiplying effect to the potential impact of their experiences;
• One in three travellers thought that the US was “falling behind other countries” or was even the “worst” they had ever seen in their customs process;
• 44% of business travellers say they will not visit in the next five years because of the entry process;
• Two-thirds of travellers said the US would be a more attractive destination if customs lines and wait times were shorter;
• 84% believe the US government could fix the process; and
• One in seven international travellers report that they have missed a connection because of delays at Customs, causing them to cancel hotel reservations, car rentals and other activities.
• Two in three travellers surveyed said that eliminating long lines and wait times was their top priority for making the US a more attractive travel destination.
For more details on the survey click here
*Can you relate to the survey results? Let us know by replying to the editor.
Travellers avoiding the US – survey
Comments | 0
