Wolf just asked why European tourists are not flocking to US

[senseandsensibility]

considering the weak dollar and strong Euro. He pomised the "surprising" answer to come. Will it really be so surprising? I'll bet that most of us already know the answer.

[sharesunited]

1. Fear of armed robbery?

[mr_hat]

3. Fear of our "welcoming" customs and immigration officers, more like.

[NavyDavy]

6. get out of my head......

[gateley]

10. My thought, too.

Being treated like a criminal at the border does dash one's vacation fantasy.

[Warpy]

13. That's what they tell me

DHS employees acting like Nazi thugs, humiliating them with photos and fingerprinting like they're criminals. Plus, they really don't want to spend money here while Stupid is still in office. Yes, the image of this country is that bad overseas.

The first act of any incoming president has to be to sign the DHS out of existence. We have the FBI and FEMA. Those agencies, staffed with the appropriate professionals (read: no hires from the past 8 years) should be adequate.

Wolf Blister will, of course, blame American citizens on the street for dressing badly and making the scenery too tacky to bother to visit.

[trof]

22. As an airline pilot, I traveled the world.

Asia, middle east, Europe.

Most places, especially in Europe, were a breeze.
The only 2 places I ever got a hard time were Saudi Arabia and...right here.
ONE time, out of many trips to Saudi, and EVERY time back here coming in to Boston or New York.
On reflection...the guys in Anchorage were always pretty cordial.
But the northeast customs & immigration people always treated you like some kind of criminal.

[Joe Chi Minh]

41. Absolutely! Those crooked morons responsible for that young Scandinavian holiday-maker

being publicly arrested and shackled in leg-irons in the airport concourse, then hustled off for interrogation to some unknown location, then jailed 'incommunicado' in a very primitively-appointed cell, over-night, cannot possibly have envisaged the harm to the image of the US that little incident will have caused. Her cell-phone was taken from her, she was not allowed to speak, even on the telephone, to a lawyer, a relative, a friend, no-one. All this time, the airport police and her jailers were roughly-spoken or just grunted.

The pilots and cabin crew of her flight home, compatriots of hers, sympathised and made a fuss of of the distraught young woman her, but they must have been totally incredulous.

She had simply light-heartedly commented that she had overstayed her allowed time on her previous visit by a few days, and nobody had bothered about it! English-language political blogs are read far and wide, and not just in Europe.

[NavyDavy]

4. by TSA and being accused of being an terriorist for not speaking

American correctly without an accent!!!

[Vincardog]

2. Could it be that they see us as FASCIST hate filled bullies?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

5. when I've visited the US, it's rather an ordeal

Waiting in line, being fingerprinted, having a 10-15 minute 'interrogation', and waiting in line for a long-time while others have the same.

It's just easier to travel to the EU.

[leftynyc]

7. Tell that asshole to come to New York City

You can't get a hotel room for under $300 (and that's in a dive) because they are all filled with Europeans coming over to shop. It's also the reason the real estate prices refuse to come down here - Europeans are snatching up all the apartments because of our weak dollar. What a doofus!!

[CJCRANE]

14. I read that NYC was the only place

in America where tourism hasn't decreased.

On edit: this was a few months ago, the figure was a 17% decrease overall since 2001.

[leftynyc]

20. Welll, it's obviously because

New Yorkers are the kindest, most considerate hosts in all of America. That must be it.

Frankly, I have no idea why it is - I only know that there are Europeans everywhere - hotels, restaurants, department stores, theatres - I was at the opera last week and heard 5 different languages just seating in my seat.

[KansDem]

56. I know what you mean. When I go to the opera I always hear at least one foreign language.

Unless it's sung in English. :hi:

[pitohui]

54. no you didn't read that -- you misunderstood what you read

tourism hasn't decreased, it has INCREASED

you read a story with considerable "spin" on it put out by the travel industry that is pissed off because the rate of increase wasn't as great as they had predicted

in 2000 they projected that 1 out of every 10 jobs would be in travel/tourism, an unsustainable and completely unrealistic rate of growth

a rate of growth not quite as high as expected is not a DECREASE unless you're trying to hit up the gov't for hand-outs, for instance, in new orleans, the travel board is trying to hit up the state for MILLIONS because you know this time of century nobody ever heard of new orleans

same story everywhere, if the gov't can be hit up for money, why not make up a story and try to get some of that money? it don't make the sad story true

[senseandsensibility]

8. Answer to come shortly on CNN

We'll see who's right.

[trueblue2007]

9. why don't europeans come to USA for vacation

cuz they hate us.

It is all Bush's fault. USA popularity has hit an all time low since Bush got us into the ILLEGAL and IMMORAL war

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

11. I assume that in true Infotainment style

he went to about 5 minutes of commercials and, when he came back, he had several other stories first. In other words, I assume it was a "teaser".

For those without access to a TV set, could you please confirm what the "answer" was as to why Europeans aren't flocking here?

[senseandsensibility]

12. Exactly. It was a teaser

and I won't be able to stay glued to my TV either, so I hope someone is watching.

[trof]

21. 24 hr. cable news has become just like the old movie serials.

Every 5 minute 'episode' ends with the hero (or whatever topic is next) in some dire straits that he can't POSSIBLY get out of.
Oh jeez!!!
What's gonna happen???
Stay tuned.

IS MILK HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH!?

SHOULD YOU EAT EGGS!?

IS YOUR WATER WET!?

BREAST FEEDING. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS!?
:rofl:

[tanyev]

15. They're just not that into us anymore.

Thanks to Our Glorious Leader.

[Bonobo]

16. Because we treat foreigners with suspicion and fascistic style security procedures

immediately after entering our country?

[Richard Steele]

17. Why didn't many of us visit the USSR back in the '70s when the dollar was strong against the ruble?

Because it was widely viewed as a BLEAK WASTELAND at best,
and a NIGHTMARISH AUTHORITARIAN HELLHOLE at worst.

Same answer, different decade.

[Bluebear]

18. They saw "Hippy's move to France!!!!!111" & "FV@K OLD EURP!!!!11" one too many times.

[kestrel91316]

19. Probably for the same reasons they didn't flock to Germany in 1940......

just being common-sense with their consumer Euros, is all. Who can blame them?

[Javaman]

23. LOL I had the same exact thought LOL nt

[Zorra]

45. Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.

:hi:

[kestrel91316]

47. Just doin' my job, snarkin' 24/7.........

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

24. can't afford the supplemental health insurance?

?

[no_hypocrisy]

25. B/c it isn't a bargain to surrender all your personal and financial information to

a fascist host country you're visiting.

[senseandsensibility]

26. Did anyone see the answer?

:shrug:

[girl gone mad]

28. Yes.

It had to do with the hassles, real and perceived, of getting into the country due to tightened security after 9/11.

[Elspeth]

30. That's a nice way to put it.

More truthfully, it is about no-fly lists, body searches and detention at airport facilities

[CJCRANE]

31. ...and for the lucky few

an all-expenses-paid trip to tropical Guantanamo Bay!

[trof]

35. Barefoot through security.

They only do that on beaches.

[spanone]

27. because bu$hco hates foreigners

[malaise]

29. Too much hassle re visas

and way too much bother at airports. Bush has fucked up US tourism.

[Karenina]

32. The answer is

*America sucks. There are places just as nice with less crazy people.

[baldguy]

33. Was Pinochet's Argentina a big tourist destination?

[Evoman]

40. Argentina? You mean Chile?

[baldguy]

43. That too

[SidDithers]

65. No, it was Agustus Pinochet's 3rd cousin, in Argentina...

Chuck. Chuck Pinochet. Ran a little roadside grill just outside of the Buenos Aires airport.

Great chimichurri, but he pissed of visitors so much they never wanted to come back.

Sid

[Joe Chi Minh]

42. You nailed it! (mutatis mutandis)

[maxsolomon]

34. last october, i was told the answer on the TGV by a nice Flemish couple

everyone hates us.

can't say as i blame them.

[kineneb]

44. Our Belgian friend wants us to move there

I think the family would sponsor us.

here is what he wrote in a recent e-mail (his spelling is...unique):
I hope to see you soon(please come to Belgium and STAY here before
  it is 2 L ate!  you are ALWAYS REALLY LITTERALLY MOST WELCOME
AT MY PLACE AT ANY TIME!!!

[KharmaTrain]

36. Traveling In The US Is A Major Hassle

I enjoy travelling but am having second thoughts of flying anywhere for the foreseeable future...every time we go to the airport its another adventure. If its not the poor performance of the major airlines and the lack of service, it's the repressive TSA searches and constant questioning of one's identity, nationality and "what are you doing, where are you going".

Not long ago, we heard from a family friend from Australia who spent two weeks trying to travel around the country to visit friends and relatives. He ended up cutting his stay to just going to LA and Chicago as he didn't feel like spending endless hours at the airport trying to get from one place to another...flying domestically with a foreign passport sets off all sorts of TSA red flags, too. He joked that we may like being treated like cattle, but he's got a bit more self-dignity. He then invited us to visit him in Sydney since he said it will be a long time if he ever attempts to visit again.

I just went through hassles on my recent travel...getting the extra "treatment" cause I had to have a flight changed and the airline didn't like it. It reminds me of the restrictions my parents faced when they traveled to the Soviet Union in the 80's...the only thing missing is the "minder"...and I'll bet that's on some DHS plans, too.

[Flagg]

37. I'm not going to the US

because those anti-French 'jokes' about how me and my family are cowards who smell bad make me feel kind of uncomfortable.

[femrap]

38. I would love to visit

France again....and stay for a loooooooooooooooooong time! I love French Fries, French Kisses, French Bread, and French Salad Dressing!

[kestrel91316]

51. Most Americans DON'T hate the French. It's sad that those who do are so noisy about it.

I went to France in 2001 and LOVED it, and thought the people were wonderful. Of course, I made a point of attempting to speak their own language to them instead of expecting them to speak mine, lol.

[uppityperson]

64. There are assholes everywhere. There are places to avoid of course

like everywhere. Problem my French relatives have is getting into the USA, fingerprinting, etc, bs. Come visit in WA.

[jumptheshadow]

39. NYC cops arresting tourists

New York City, unlike the rest of the country, is getting a huge number of international tourists. However, not everybody in the city understands hospitality...

A few weeks ago, a young European man of my acquaintance told his friends he was going home for his jacket because the temperature was plummeting. This was at about 6:15 and he planned to hook up with them later. They never heard from him. His roommate got home later that night, found that the guy was missing and his coat was still in the apartment. Everybody was deeply concerned because he was still gone, with no word, at 2 the next afternoon.

Bottom line, the guy had been arrested in Grand Central and taken to a holding center in Chinatown.

His crime? The Grand Central turnstiles were on the fritz (I saw this myself because I was there at about the same time he was.) Somebody opened the emergency exit door. A lot of people went through and into the subway, and this nice, cleancut kid went with the crowd. The cops let the Americans go, but arrested him and another European tourist. The kid was polite and asked if he could pay a fine -- in Europe, the subways operate on the "honor system." "You're not an American," the cop inexplicably said to the kid before consigning him to a night in the slammer with some street guys who had been (or still were, I don't know for sure) smoking crack.

He asked if he could make a phone call, but all his NY phone numbers were in his cellphone, which had been confiscated.

Bottom line, this guy and all of his friends, who had been quite impressed with NYC, will probably think twice before they come to this country again. My understanding is that complaints were made to more than one consulate, as well.

What a horrible way to treat our guests.

[Stinky The Clown]

46. Leslie is a moron

[leftofthedial]

48. there are much nicer third world countries

that aren't filled with fascist terrorists

[Karenina]

52. But THEY don't have Geno's Steaks...

:evilgrin:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3235255&mesg_id=3235255

[pscot]

49. They hate us for our freedom

n/t

[kevinbgoode]

61. HAHAHAHA......

And that would be exactly the neo-con answer. . .:-)

[Hekate]

50. Wolfie -- you're a funny, funny man. What a card.

I hate flying around inside my very own country now, and after some of the nightmare stories I've read over the past 7 years I really cannot blame other people for staying the hell away. Bush and Cheney and their paranoid little thugs have walled us in and yanked up the welcome mat.

Hekate

[pitohui]

53. facts not in evidence

they ARE flocking to the usa, we have more european tourists than ever before, check out the numbers on a travel related site, it's eye popping, millions and millions of european visitors every year

this is a bogus complaint about market share, for some reason we thought we would have an unfairly large slice of the tourist euro forever, completely unrealistic when europeans are flocking more and more to "all inclusives" in the caribbean and in mexico instead of just disneyland and florida, plus china is now wide open and welcoming and also very cheap for the european traveler

[Indenturedebtor]

57. I think all of the above posts have a lot of it

And to add - There's really not that much to see here.

I mean Sams Club and Strip Malls are facinating and everything but seriously.

Hollywood, some shopping, the grand canyon, and :shrug:

Would you rather see Angkor Wat or Detroit?

[pitohui]

59. obviously i have voted with my dollar that i'd rather see detroit

since i've been there a number of times and yet not gone to angkor wat

the above posts are mostly people responding to "push poll" type questioning but if you look up the statistics, visits to the usa are at their highest levels in human history

therefore the above posts are just anecdotes based on wolfie's bullshit and are of very little value or validity

a quick look at the statistics will tell you that more people prefer to visit vegas than cambodia and no amt of "spin" changes the facts -- with 2.4 million visitors a MONTH to vegas alone, to pretend that people are not visiting the usa is a joke -- while the last numbers i have for angkor wat are 1 million visitors in a YEAR (2004 numbers)

try checking facts once in awhile and you find out an amazing thing -- the media lies, CNN makes shit up, golly gee gosh, who knew?

[JHB]

55. Does anyone know what Wolfie (eventually) had to say?

...or rather, read from his prompter?

[pitohui]

60. blah blah visas cost too much blah blah immigration officials unfriendly blah blah

the usual

one time a dude in nyc jumped the turnstiles instead of paying his subway toll and got arrested and he was from europe and -- (kidding, that's what a poster said) but you get the idea -- it's a slow news day so they gotta make shit up

visits from europe are not in fact down, they're UP

[slackmaster]

58. I expect them to be here (San Diego) in large numbers this summer

A lot of people have kids in school, and do their world traveling in June through August.

[pitohui]

62. yep, they'll be there

europeans who get paid in euros or pound sterling can actually afford to travel in "high" season, something a mere american paid in dollars can no longer afford

i think we're supposed to ignore the evidence of our own eyeballs that americans are now much, much poorer than western europeans

[slackmaster]

66. We also get large numbers of East Asian tourists when the dollar is weak

Never get in the way of a Japanese crowd. They know how to push and shove like nobody else on Earth!

[MiniMe]

63. Fear of being disapeared