Black Meetings & Tourism - INBOUND OPERATORS SHARE MARKET INTEL IN ROUNDTABLE WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS VISA PROCESSING WAIT TIMES IMPROVE, BUT NOT

Industry Briefs
INBOUND OPERATORS SHARE MARKET INTEL IN ROUNDTABLE WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS VISA PROCESSING WAIT TIMES IMPROVE, BUT NOT THERE YET
Washington, D.C. U.S.-based inbound tour operators representing international markets around the world met with officials from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Interior recently to discuss the state of the inbound travel recovery and ongoing challenges, including extensive wait times for U.S. visa interviews in many countries. L to R: Petra Hackworth, Vice President Global Sales, Travel Oregon, Brooke Wehrenberg, Division Chief, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Christopher McFadden, Visa Policy Analyst, Field Operations, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Umang Malbari, CEO, Discover Destinations, Kim Weissman, Senior Communications Director for Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Peter van Berkel, IITA Past Chair / President, Travalco, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Lena Ross, IITA Chairwoman / COO, America 4 You Brian Beall, Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, International Trade Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Pabs Raghava, CEO, Tours Limited, Julie Heizer, IITA Ambassador, Jennifer Aquinaga, Deputy Director for Policy & Planning, National Travel and Tourism Office, International Trade Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, and Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director The International Inbound Travel Association leadership and several of its members shared market intel and provided input on several key factors affecting international visitation, including extensive wait times in multiple source markets. The group noted the growing need for handling visa processing for both leisure and MICE groups, noting several major events to be held in the U.S. in the next few years - FIFA World Cup, Route 66 100 th Birthday, the USA's 250 th anniversary and the Olympics to name a few. According to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft, a number of initiatives in place or underway will continue to improve visa wait times, including expansion of a global remote processing center to handle visa applications that don't require an in-person interview, the ability to apply for U.S. visas outside the traveler's country of residence, and staffing up in China for the imminent growth in travel to the USA. "We are really proud of the work our embassies and consulates are doing to facilitate travel to the United States, and we understand the impacts the visa process has on the travel and tourism industry," said Deputy Assistant Secretary Stufft. "The positive momentum of 2023 continues in 2024 as we break visa issuance records. "DAS Stufft and her team are genuinely interested in hearing about market conditions, including visa wait times, directly from inbound operators who essentially have boots on the ground with their vast networks of travel trade partners," said Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director. "We understand there are challenges, and we appreciate the focus and priority placed on improving visa processing and entry experiences given the rapidly growing demand for the USA. We don't see that demand slowing down any time soon." Other U.S. Government officials participating in the roundtable discussion were Brian Beall, Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office in the Department of Commerce, and Kim Weissman, Senior Communications Director for Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security. Both provided updates from their departments and reaffirmed the federal government's inter-departmental coordination to address challenges and barriers for international travelers to visit the U.S. IITA participants included: · Lena Ross, IITA Chairwoman / COO, America 4 You · Petra Hackworth, Vice President Global Sales, Travel Oregon · Umang Malbari, CEO, Discover Destinations · Pabs Raghava, CEO, Tours Limited · Peter van Berkel, IITA Past Chair / President, Travalco · Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director The IITA delegation was in Washington as part of the travel industry's legislative fly-in event, Destination Capitol Hill, coordinated by U.S. Travel Association. DCH brought industry professionals together from all 50 states to discuss industry priorities that will increase global competitiveness, drive economic growth, and create and support jobs nationwide. IITA has been a sponsor of the event for the past seven years. IITA leaders also met with officials at the National Park Service to discuss forthcoming plans for a systemwide Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) permit program for road-based commercial tours, scheduled to go into effect in 2026, and provide input on managed access issues impacting the visitor experience in national parks. The International Inbound Travel Association is the trade association of the United States' inbound travel industry. Its members are the leading U.S.-based inbound operators, which are companies providing B2B travel services to international tour operators and travel buyers around the world. Other members include U.S. destinations and suppliers that work in partnership with the international inbound travel trade. For more information on the International Inbound Travel Association, membership, new programs or services, please visit inboundtravel.org or email headquarters@inboundtravel.org.

Industry Briefs

INBOUND OPERATORS SHARE MARKET INTEL IN ROUNDTABLE WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS VISA PROCESSING WAIT TIMES IMPROVE, BUT NOT THERE YET

Washington, D.C. U.S.-based inbound tour operators representing international markets around the world met with officials from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Interior recently to discuss the state of the inbound travel recovery and ongoing challenges, including extensive wait times for U.S. visa interviews in many countries.

L to R: Petra Hackworth, Vice President Global Sales, Travel Oregon, Brooke Wehrenberg, Division Chief, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Christopher McFadden, Visa Policy Analyst, Field Operations, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Umang Malbari, CEO, Discover Destinations, Kim Weissman, Senior Communications Director for Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Peter van Berkel, IITA Past Chair / President, Travalco, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Visa Office, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, Lena Ross, IITA Chairwoman / COO, America 4 You Brian Beall, Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, International Trade Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Pabs Raghava, CEO, Tours Limited, Julie Heizer, IITA Ambassador, Jennifer Aquinaga, Deputy Director for Policy & Planning, National Travel and Tourism Office, International Trade Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, and Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director

The International Inbound Travel Association leadership and several of its members shared market intel and provided input on several key factors affecting international visitation, including extensive wait times in multiple source markets. The group noted the growing need for handling visa processing for both leisure and MICE groups, noting several major events to be held in the U.S. in the next few years - FIFA World Cup, Route 66 100 th Birthday, the USA's 250 th anniversary and the Olympics to name a few.

According to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft, a number of initiatives in place or underway will continue to improve visa wait times, including expansion of a global remote processing center to handle visa applications that don't require an in-person interview, the ability to apply for U.S. visas outside the traveler's country of residence, and staffing up in China for the imminent growth in travel to the USA.

"We are really proud of the work our embassies and consulates are doing to facilitate travel to the United States, and we understand the impacts the visa process has on the travel and tourism industry," said Deputy Assistant Secretary Stufft. "The positive momentum of 2023 continues in 2024 as we break visa issuance records.

"DAS Stufft and her team are genuinely interested in hearing about market conditions, including visa wait times, directly from inbound operators who essentially have boots on the ground with their vast networks of travel trade partners," said Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director. "We understand there are challenges, and we appreciate the focus and priority placed on improving visa processing and entry experiences given the rapidly growing demand for the USA. We don't see that demand slowing down any time soon."

Other U.S. Government officials participating in the roundtable discussion were Brian Beall, Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office in the Department of Commerce, and Kim Weissman, Senior Communications Director for Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security. Both provided updates from their departments and reaffirmed the federal government's inter-departmental coordination to address challenges and barriers for international travelers to visit the U.S.

IITA participants included:

· Lena Ross, IITA Chairwoman / COO, America 4 You

· Petra Hackworth, Vice President Global Sales, Travel Oregon

· Umang Malbari, CEO, Discover Destinations

· Pabs Raghava, CEO, Tours Limited

· Peter van Berkel, IITA Past Chair / President, Travalco

· Lisa Simon, IITA CEO/Executive Director

The IITA delegation was in Washington as part of the travel industry's legislative fly-in event, Destination Capitol Hill, coordinated by U.S. Travel Association. DCH brought industry professionals together from all 50 states to discuss industry priorities that will increase global competitiveness, drive economic growth, and create and support jobs nationwide. IITA has been a sponsor of the event for the past seven years. IITA leaders also met with officials at the National Park Service to discuss forthcoming plans for a systemwide Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) permit program for road-based commercial tours, scheduled to go into effect in 2026, and provide input on managed access issues impacting the visitor experience in national parks.

The International Inbound Travel Association is the trade association of the United States' inbound travel industry. Its members are the leading U.S.-based inbound operators, which are companies providing B2B travel services to international tour operators and travel buyers around the world. Other members include U.S. destinations and suppliers that work in partnership with the international inbound travel trade.

For more information on the International Inbound Travel Association, membership, new programs or services, please visit inboundtravel.org or email headquarters@inboundtravel.org.