U.S. to International Visitors: Gimme Ten Bucks

September 12, 2009 at 2:19 PM | by Victor Ozols | 1 Comment

Is a visit to the U.S. worth ten bucks? The U.S. Senate seems to think so. According to the AP, the Senate voted on Wednesday to charge a $10 fee to international visitors, with the proceeds funding a nonprofit corporation to promote tourism to the country. In order for the bill to become law, the House of Representatives would also have to approve it, but if they do, foreign visitors who do not need visas to enter the country would have to pay the fee each time they register online in advance of a trip.

Considering that the average visitor spends $4,500 in the country, an extra ten bucks isn't much, but I wonder what they'll get for the money. Will there be friendly greeters welcoming international flights at JFK and handing out brochures for the Statue of Liberty? Or will they produce a bunch of visit-the-U.S. commercials that air during Italian soccer matches and Chinese family variety shows? More likely, they'll make a spiffy new website with high-res photos of amber waves of grain and purple mountain's majesty. Maybe they'll have a blog, too. (Call me!)

I'm actually kind of surprised that they're only now getting around to hitting up international visitors for cash. For years individual states have tacked fees on things like car rentals to fund stadium projects and the like. Why not drain a few bucks from the huddled masses yearning to breathe free?

[Photo: tedlab.mit.edu]

Related Stories:
· U.S. Senate Passes New International Visitor Fee [AP via Yahoo! News]
· Fees [Jaunted]

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