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Travel Promotion Act signed into law; visitors to U.S. who don't require visa to be hit with $10 fee
We've given you our skeptical takes on the proposed Travel Promotion Act before (see here and here, for starters), but it appears our complaints have fallen on deaf ears. President Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) into law earlier today.
Of course, because the new law does not require any U.S. taxpayer dollars, it was passed with bipartisan support. Apparently the stupidity of taxing visitors to the U.S. in order to encourage them to visit was lost on most of the U.S. Congress.
The European Union-- no surprise-- is displeased by the new legislation, and is considering retaliating against it by charging U.S. visitors to Europe a $10 fee.
As I've noted before, there's a better, cheaper way to promote foreign travel to the United States:
Add more countries to the Visa Waiver Program. Stop requiring every visitor to the US (except those from the 35 "low-risk" countries already in the program) to go through the hassle, expense, and impossibly long wait that obtaining a visa inevitably entails.
Another skeptical look at the TPA here. A more positive one is here.
Filed under: Business, United States, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Tracie Smith Mar 5th 2010 2:12PM
Obama is really trying to wreck this country. Tax, tax, tax...that's all he wants to do...watch out, if the cap and trade is passed, you'll be taxed for breathing.
Georgia Smith Mar 5th 2010 5:03PM
If people can afford to travel abroad they can afford an extra $10. That's less than a Big Mac in some countries. I personally feel that everyone crossing our borders should be charged this fee. And President Obama didn't raise this bill. He signed it after all the Republican and Domocrats passed it unanimously. Get your facts straight you hate mongers before you open your ignotant mouths.
Yaz Mar 5th 2010 2:22PM
So, we're now going to charge people an excess of $10 to come into the United States as if they haven't just paid an arm and a leg for airfare + the additional $25-50 (depending on what airline you fly with) for baggage fees??? And this is all supposed to entice people to want to come and visit? I beg your pardon but this is just plain ignorant. I need our government to wake up and stop the stupidity. I wish people would think before they act because without doing so, they only end up failing........big time.
doda Mar 5th 2010 2:23PM
Just another glaring example of how broke the United States really is. Tourist stay away.
alaskasassenach Mar 5th 2010 2:40PM
What's the big deal? I remember when overseas having to remember to save out money for the exit tax at the airport.
Stanley Mar 5th 2010 2:41PM
What a screwed up world we live in. Goverments and big bussiness just can't think up of enough ways to get money out of the consumer.
Marshall Ginevan Mar 5th 2010 2:43PM
This looks a lot like the U.S. response (or retaliation) to the European carbon tax imposed on U.S. airlines operating in Europe. If we don't want to join them in imposing carbon taxes then some other creative tax needs to imposed against them. As for Congress, a stupidity tax would help return a large chunk of their salaries to the tax payers.
Marceline Mar 5th 2010 2:51PM
Well duh, how else are they going to pay for the new Office of Travel Promotion? A non-profit office, what the heck? Guess the $10 pp is just to pay someone's salary. Makes no sense. I can't wait to see who gets that job!
Each state already has a state run Tourism Office and even the smallest of towns has a local Chamber of Commerce or Tourism office promoting events etc. for tourist to come their area. Not to mention all the tourism industry associations out there. There's plenty of tourism officals in the US that are doing a fine job of promoting travel to the US.
Who's bright idea was this anyway? Obivousily someone who hasn't a clue of the tourism industry.
Andy Mar 5th 2010 2:47PM
Is Charley Rangel going to chair this operation ? He's good at traveling, you know.
Marshall Mar 5th 2010 2:51PM
If they do this,then the airlines here should get rid of all their unethical
baggage check in fees and just charge the $l0 tourist fee;just for flying and having us all
putting up with the snotty flight attendants and the stale subway sandwiches
they make us purchase,on those cramped Airbus 320s. How about that?!?
Bob Mar 5th 2010 3:03PM
Tax, tax, tax.........I get het with an extra tax ofr being self employed, I get hit with a fee to hold a business lisence in every town I work in, I get hit the a fee for a contractors license. I think it time the politicians who pass all of these tax bills and extra income to the government bills start paying there share. Like a politian tax to be a politian.........like 15% of there total income. And maybe a annual politians license to be a politian. That should help the US deficet. And while we are at it, where does being he president for 4 years earn u a life time pension with a secret service staff till the day u die...........not too shabby benefits for just 4 years work.
SMD Mar 5th 2010 9:51PM
That'd be great, but they would all just vote themselves a 20% raise to cover it.
blondron1000 Mar 5th 2010 3:03PM
sounds like another case of..."more sand in your Vasaline, sir"
glenn Mar 5th 2010 3:07PM
Immediate impressions on these new taxes
1) That's a great idea. Increase taxes to get into the USA. Decrease the number of travelers into the USA. That will automatically reduce the number of people that have to be screened to find the terrorists trying to get in to hurt us, and increase the probability of finding these bad guys.. Very Interesting and Sneaky.
2) Totally idiodic .. Reduce travelers into this country and reduce the intake of money spent in this country by tourists... AND THEREFORE HURT THE USA ECONOMY EVEN MORE THAN IT IS HURTING NOW...... DAMN STUPID.... BUT WHAT ELSE IS NEW.
I am 64 years old and have NEVER, NEVER NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF A DUMBER AND MORE CROOKED BUNCH OF LEGISLATORS IN MY LIFE....I AM NOT RELIGIOUS, BUT GOD HELP THIS COUNTRY.
Fred Klein Mar 5th 2010 3:15PM
I agree 100%. This is nuts! We should welcome all visitors to come here & spend some green! Don't make them feel like they are being screwed!
jeff Mar 5th 2010 3:11PM
Charge the $10 to illegals crossing the borer then turn them back. Leave the others alone.
j Mar 5th 2010 7:51PM
HOW DO YOU THINK THEY GET IN HERE IN THE FIRSR PLACE. yOU KNOW MEXICANS AREN'T THE ONLY ILLEGALS INFILTRATING AMERICA. AND ITS A MERE 10 DOLLARS WOULD THAT REALLY DETER YOU FROM FLYING TO ANOTHER DESTINATION... EVEN 40????? aIRFARE TICKHETS FLUCTUATE ALL THE TIME. sTOP WHINING YOU BIG BABIES. HALF OF YA'LL MAKING THESE COMMENTS PROBABLY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
dkurtz Mar 5th 2010 3:23PM
All politicians (federal, state, local) are godless, lazy, gutless, greedy, fornicating, liars. The only way they are creative is in deciding the next tax to burden the citizens with.
I hope they are ready to stand in God's judgement for how they have cheated millions of people out of trillions of dollars.
Bill Mar 5th 2010 3:18PM
Sure, if you come through the front door you gat a surcharge but if we get it through the back door (ouch) we get social security benefits (thanks Carter) healthcare from the kenyan and foodstamps from the rest of the a-holes.
God save America from these idiots.
Celia Mar 5th 2010 3:20PM
Other countries do essentially the same thing to us, only they call it a "departure tax"...yet another line to stand in to get a precious stamp on your boarding pass when you're trying to catch your plane. And it keeps you from spending that money at the duty free shops.