Thread: Study: Rudeness toward Foreign Visitors

Preface: I realize that we're not here (on this ALIPAC website) to please foreign visitors. But I post this article just to keep the website readers informed of an issue going before Congress. The study findings accuse US Customs and Immigration officers of being discourteous. I have been thru US customs a lot over the years and have never ever observed or heard of a rude INS or US Customs officer - as far as I'm concerned, they set the standard for professional conduct.

Originally Posted by The Discover America Partnership

Study: Perceived Treatment of Foreign Travelers Driving Away Visitors, Damaging America’s Image Abroad. Minor Changes Could Boost U.S. Economy, Global Support

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. entry process has created a climate of fear and frustration that is turning away foreign business and leisure travelers from visiting the United States – and damaging America’s image abroad. But, according to a new global study conducted by the Discover America Partnership, minor improvements in welcoming travelers could yield substantial diplomatic and economic gains.
The study, conducted by independent polling firm RT Strategies and based upon a survey of more than 2,000 travelers worldwide, sought to gauge traveler perceptions of the U.S. visa and entry process, and how opinions of America differ among those that have and have not visited the U.S. The study revealed that, by deterring visitors, the U.S. is missing an enormous economic and diplomatic opportunity. Those that have visited the U.S. and interacted with the American people are 74 percent more likely to have an extremely favorable opinion of the U.S.
“This study should be a wake-up call for the U.S. government,” said Geoff Freeman, Executive Director of the Discover America Partnership. “Visiting the United States and interacting with the American people can have a powerful, positive effect on how non-U.S. residents see our country. Unfortunately, perceptions of a ‘rude’ and ‘arrogant’ entry process are turning away travelers and harming America’s image.”
Among the study’s key findings:
The U.S. entry process is considered the “world’s worst” by travelers
Travelers rate America’s entry process as the “world’s worst” by greater than a 2:1 margin over the next-worst destination area.
The U.S. ranks with Africa and the Middle East when it comes to traveler-friendly paperwork and officials.
54 percent of international travelers say that immigration officials are rude.
Travelers to the U.S. are more afraid of U.S. government officials than the threat of terrorism or crime.
Two-thirds of travelers surveyed fear they will be detained at the border because of a simple mistake or misstatement.
By deterring visitors, the U.S. is missing an enormous diplomatic and economic opportunity
Those with experience visiting America are 74 percent more likely to have an extremely favorable opinion of the country versus those who have not visited recently.
63 percent of travelers feel more favorable towards the U.S. as a result of their visit.
61 percent agree that, once a person visits the U.S., they become friendlier towards the country and its policies.
Negative attitudes about U.S. treatment of visitors are having a much larger effect on keeping travelers away from the U.S. than negative attitudes about U.S. policies in the world. o Nearly nine in 10 travelers tell their friends, relatives about their travel experiences most or all of the time.
Minor changes in the U.S. treatment of foreign business and leisure travelers would yield substantial gains
In every destination criteria but the point of entry experience, international travelers rank America in the top three. Travelers want to come to the U.S.
Travelers are willing to wait an average of 46.5 days to get a visa to visit the U.S – 15 days beyond U.S. State Department standards, but far less than current wait times in many countries.
Travelers expectations include clear communications, respect and courteous treatment.
“Foreign travelers are in agreement: the U.S. entry process is unpredictable and unfriendly to foreign visitors, it is hurting America’s image abroad and deterring many from visiting the U.S.,” said Thomas Riehle, partner, RT Strategies. “These survey results help to explain the 17 percent decline in overseas travel to the U.S. over the past five years and the 10 percent decline in business travel to the U.S. over the past year.”
The Discover America Partnership was launched in September, 2006 by some of America’s foremost business leaders. These business leaders recognize travel to the U.S. as an integral aspect of the public diplomacy process and have challenged the U.S. to welcome an additional 10 million more visitors annually. This initiative is undertaking an aggressive, ongoing campaign to draw national attention to the issue, and to push for solutions.
The Partnership is pursuing a variety of initiatives to help the U.S. better compete for international travelers, including:
A detailed assessment of the U.S entry process, and how the nation balances security and economic prosperity. The study will look at the impact of current point-of-entry policies on the U.S. economy, and what we can learn from other countries.
An ongoing effort to tap into the travel industry’s expertise in hospitality to develop new, creative and better ways to welcome visitors to our country.
A worldwide study of how other countries compete for international travelers and how the U.S. can demonstrate its commitment to welcoming more visitors.

URLS:
The article:
http://www.poweroftravel.org/release-11-20-06.aspx

About the article's organization:
http://www.publicdiplomacywatch.com/200 ... hip_t.html

The Survey Results in PDF
http://www.poweroftravel.org/pdf/DAP_No ... esults.pdf

The Audio file describing the survey
http://www.poweroftravel.org/audio/DAP- ... 11amET.wav

I haven't finished listening to the audio file; the findings focus on perception of discourtesy on the part of the INS. I've gone thru customs a hell of a lot and never encountered anything less than total professionalism on the part of INS and US Customs. I think that those who filled out the surveys confused the airport screeners with the INS. Maybe it's their dislike for airport security. It could also be that rude airline employees may have set the stage for their negative perception. Specifically discourteous airline employees, who are foreign nationals (on US soil), contribute to the perception. Need proof? Go to Denver. The audio file says that visitors from visa-waiver countries (ie UK) were also unhappy.

The study, conducted by independent polling firm RT Strategies and based upon a survey of more than 2,000 travelers worldwide, sought to gauge traveler perceptions of the U.S. visa and entry process, and how opinions of America differ among those that have and have not visited the U.S.

Yeah right, an independent poll paid for by corporate America!

The Discover America Partnership was launched in September, 2006 by some of America’s foremost business leaders.

Mark my words, American greed will be our downfall!

Hi MW,

I think the poll failed to pinpoint (maybe intentionally, I dunno) where the discourtesy is coming from. Denver airport (and others like it) are probably prime examples....
May I submit?

Customs Officers - Professional and courteous
INS Officers - Professional and courteous
TSA Officers - Professional and courteous

Pre-Screeners - Foreign nationals who speak little English - Totally Rude.

Contracted Airline Employees behind the UA ticket counter in DEN - Discourteous FOREIGN nationals (not hispanic), they represent UA, but work for the contractor of the Airport Authority.

From the Neal Boortz website:

Originally Posted by Neal Boortz

U.S. MOST UNFRIENDLY COUNTRY

According to a poll of some two thousand international travelers, the
United States is the most unfriendly country in the world. The reason:
visa problems and unfriendly immigration officials. Perhaps if the
United States is such a terrible place, then these supposedly upset
visitors should just stay home. Now that's not very friendly, is it?

Evidently since 9/11 there is this idea out there that immigration
officials are rude and that if your paperwork is the least bit out of
order, you'll get deported. Somebody please tell that to the 20 million
Mexicans that are here illegally. So if the United States is such a
terrible place then why are so many people trying to get in?

The United States is not the most unfriendly country. How on Earth
could we be considered more unfriendly than say...France? Or Iran? How
about North Korea? In fact, we're probably just a bit too friendly.

We see these poll results because it's in vogue now to trash the United
States. Trashing the U.S. will remain a favored pastime of Euro-wimps
right up until the time they realize that they are about to be
officially renamed Eurabia ... and they come running to us for help.

By the way ... who wants our country to be judged on the attitude of
government employees?

http://boortz.com/nuze/index.html

my experience has been very different. I look and I am Mediterranean from South Europe but I am also a US citizen (I have 2 passports US and European) and I have been harassed at the borders with Canada several times. Once, I was put in a room with 6 INS officers that interrogated me, informed me that I was in deep trouble, pushed me around, and even suggested I should choose which country I want to reside in and I should choose Europe and not the US, informing me that it is illegal to be a dual citizen, which is wrong. I was in that room for 2 hours. Since they could not get anything from me they let me go.

I travel a lot. Although I have never done anything illegal I fear going through the borders. When I land in the US I am afraid of the abuse I will receive because at best I am treated very rudely and I worst I have been abused.

I have never met an immigration so rude as the US immigrations (after 9/11). Some has to let them know that being rude won't get them more results. Frankly I fear that the US is becoming increasingly a police state.

Hi Johny2004, and welcome to Alipac. I'm not a moderator, but I still want to say "welcome" to a fellow citizen. So, welcome, fellow citizen!!!

Can't you just present your US passport only, upon re-entering the US?

You write "Europe." Is this in lieu of a particular European country (which, of course, you are under no obligation to reveal here)? Or, is this a European Union thing?

Based upon your experience and travels, could you reveal what life will become like here if the USA goes away and the North American Union (US and Mexico merge) becomes the government?

Thanks, Johny2004, for joining Alipac.

Coto

I have many foreign friends, none of them have been hassled.

I have found that some foreign visitors are rude. Once I was down the shore and two French Canadian men approached my sister and I and we ignored them and they through their drinks at us. This was on the street during the daytime. How rude!

We were in a diner one time and a crowd of French Canadians were across from my friends and I and they were talking about us in a French language. The waitress who spoke their language told us they were saying very bad things and she thought we deserved to know. We said thank you to the waitress and left. How rude!

Another time my sister was in a bar in Motreal with her husband. Her husband went to the bathroom and a woman asked her a question and she told her she did'nt speak french. Within minutes, the band was playing Yankee go Home! My sister and husband left. How rude!

I was going to a convenience store and was yelled at by a car of Islamic men on the 4th of July one year. Scared is beyond what I felt. An Indian Siek who worked their and I knew came to my rescue and chased them away.
Thank God. The men were rude and dangerous!

I've been hissed when I went to College by Hispanic women. Just because I'm blonde hair blue eye white woman I assume. I did'nt even have these women in my class. Did'nt know them and I did nothing to deserve this for happening. How rude and racist!

The moral of my story is, rude people are all around the world and not justs in America. Their are very nice people too. Unfortunately, we don't have control of when rude people and bad things confront us. Rudeness comes in all nationalities.


By the way my sister and husband are involved in a police brutality suit. Bad treatmen happens to Americans too.

CCUSA, I have to agree there. I think most of us have encountered many rude foreign visitors. I think that they watch too much TV and think that it is a free for all here. In my opinion, foreign women are much worse than the men, but the men are much worse when it comes to business matters, because they do not want to speak to the women, and will not try to hide their prejudice. I had the misfortune of dealing with a couple of young Arab men at work who thought it was funny to yell at me, stick their fingers in my face and say tell me how they would not deal with me because I was a woman, then they would laugh. Honestly, I was getting a little nervous and almost called the police. They demanded to speak to my boss, even though I was more than capable of helping them, other than the fact that I was a woman. To their dismay, my boss was also a woman. They did not seem too happy about it, but they were actually cordial since they needed our services. I would like to think those men drove into the ditch on the way home. I am sure that we have all encountered the foreigner who can speak English quite well one minute and does not know a word of English the next. People take advantage of our country and our hospitality and I think most of us are tired of it.I have had very good experiences in Europe but thought that Mexicans were very phony in that they act like they are going out of their way for us but would not think twice of ripping us off financially. It is a big game for them. Mexicans are lucky that we don't treat them the same way when they are here.

Another study to spend our $$.

I'm just as fed up with "America bashing" as I am with accusing "baby boomers" for S.S. going bust.