Encouraging tourists

The world's tourists are not flocking to America anymore, not since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Foreign travel to the United States has declined 9 percent since 2000, even though travel worldwide increased 39 percent, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

U.S. security measures have changed often since 9-11 and are confusing potential tourists, says the association, an industry trade group.

To combat the confusion and bring more tourists to America, Congress passed a law creating a nonprofit corporation that will promote the United States as a place to visit.

The United States will charge another $10 fee on visas for many foreign visitors to finance the new corporation. One of the goals of the legislation is to better explain the new travel rules.

The extra fee to be imposed on visitors from 35 European and Asian countries seems counterproductive, however. The $200 million annual revenue would be used to promote tourism.

The measure is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and much of the travel industry. A study by Oxford Economics said the new policy would attract 1.6 million more foreign visitors each year, raise $4 billion for the economy and create some 40,000 new U.S. jobs.

The idea is that the country needs to spend money in this area to make money. Hence, the measure has passed Congress and is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama.

It makes sense to woo more foreign tourists to our shores and reverse the trend of recent years. But it is too bad that our procedures for such visitors are so confusing that they need extra explaining.

Can we have sound security and still extend a warm welcome to the world's travelers?

That should be our intent.