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Did Zealous U.S. Airport Security Kill Chicago Bid for Olympics? |
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Written by Jordana Hart
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Monday, 05 October 2009 |
Did Chicago lose the chance to host the 2016 Olympics because of airport security issues? So asked The New York Times and others concerned with a drop in the number of visitors to the U.S.
Among the questions the Chicago bid team fielded in Copenhagen last week was whether foreigners, both athletes and visitors, would be welcomed or harassed when they arrived in the U.S to participate in or attend the Games.
Syed Shahid Ali, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from Pakistan, stated during the Q&A following Chicago’s presentation, that entering the US can be “a rather harrowing experience.”
President Obama, who was part of the 10-person team, assured Mr. Ali that all visitors would be made to feel welcome. “One of the legacies I want to see is a reminder that America at its best is open to the world,” he said.
But Mr. Obama’s reassurance may have fallen flat. A few hours later, the Games went to Rio de Janeiro.
Mr. Ali's point underscores what tourism officials here have been saying for years about the often rigorous entry process for foreigners, which they consider a deterrent to tourism. In fact, as soon as the news came out that Chicago lost the bid, the U.S. Travel Association sent out a stinging press release within hours.
“It’s clear the United States still has a lot of work to do to restore its place as a premier travel destination,” Roger Dow, U.S. Travel’s president, said in the statement. “When IOC members are commenting to our President that foreign visitors find traveling to the United States a ‘pretty harrowing experience,’ we need to take seriously the challenge of reforming our entry process to ensure there is a welcome mat to our friends around the world, even as we ensure a secure system.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce said that international travel to the U.S. declined by 10 percent in the first quarter of 2009. To lure visitors back, U.S. Travel has been pushing the Travel Promotion Act, which recently was passed in the Senate and is awaiting action in the House, to launch a campaign to strengthen the image of the United States abroad.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 October 2009 )
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