http://www.azstarnet.com/news/147261

U.S. immigration officials rude, travelers say
Cox News Service
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.19.2006
LONDON — When readers of the Telegraph newspaper were asked shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, if security fears had made them think twice about traveling to America, 89 percent said no. But in a recent survey, 90 percent said they would avoid flying to the United States.

The main reason wasn't security fears, but belligerent U.S. immigration officials, whom one Briton called "sarcastic, suspicious, patronizing, and downright rude."

International travel has jumped nearly 20 percent since 2000, but the U.S. share of the world travel market slipped from 9 percent in 2000 to 6 percent last year.

Sean Tipton, a spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents, said America is still the most popular destination for British travelers after Spain and France and that a record 4.2 million people from Britain visited in 2004.

But he agreed that many people have been put off by rude immigration officials.

"We've had British tourists say they won't return to America because of this," he said.

Allyson Stewart-Allen, who runs International Marketing Partners, a consulting firm in London, said the State Department knows it has a problem with how it welcomes visitors.

"Even basic civilities like saying please and thank you would be a terrific start," she said.