U.S. is most unfriendly country to visitors: survey

[payxibka 10,045]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rude immigration officials and long delays in processing visas have turned the United States into the world's most unfriendly country for international travelers, according to a global survey released on Monday.

The survey showed that the United States was ranked "the worst" in terms of visas and immigration procedures by twice the percentage of travelers as the next destination regarded as unfriendly -- the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent.

The survey, of 2,011 international travelers in 16 countries, was conducted by the polling firm RT Strategies for the Discover America Partnership, a business-backed group launched in September to promote travel to the United States and improve the country's image abroad.

More than half of the travelers surveyed said U.S. immigration officials were rude and two-thirds said they feared they would be detained on arriving in the United States for a simple mistake in their paper work or for saying the wrong thing to an immigration official.

"The entry process has created a climate of fear and frustration that is keeping foreign visitors away," said Geoff Freeman, executive director of the Discover America Partnership. "The survey shows there is more fear of our immigration officials than of terrorism or crime."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061120/us_nm/usa_image_dc

[William33 110]

I bet the respondents never travelled throughout Africa. That would change their tune.

[aussiewench 9]

Doesn't surprise me at all. IMO it carries through to other areas of the US too. Attitudes in many situations suck, even to their own.

[Cristy 4]

I find the way people are treated in hotels, stores etc is really quite terrible here. I know I would have been fired if I treated people like I have been here.

[Alex+R 0]

In both Atlanta and Houston I saw just the TSA guys SCREAMING at foreigners. They were not letting them get in a word and were acting like they owned the people.

I was pretty embarrased.

I got off a flight from Brazil and in the security line the TSA guy told one guy to take off his jacket. The guy didn't understand, so his friend repeated it to him in Portuguese. As the guy was taking off his jacket, the TSA guy starting mocking the way it had sounded in Portuguese. "Yeah, tira tira tira!" he was yelling at him.

OMG

[~Jess~ 0]

damn them americans

[Mags 112]

First time I came over to the USA I was damn near terrified. The fact that on the plane the stewards said "there must be NO mistakes or you will not be admitted to the United States" when referring to the I-94's was enough!

Later on, whilst waiting in the line at Cincinnati, the airport had a person walking down the line checking the forms were filled in correctly. If they were wrong (which mine wasn't!) they got sent to the back of the queue where they had to fill out new ones...

Then the immigration officer was surly and FULL of attitude. The security section was even worse. They seemed to enjoy making people feel uncomfortable.

Welcome to the United States!

Edited November 20, 2006 by mags

[rclouse 0]

Welcome to New Joisey

What're you lookin' at?

[Mags 112]

Welcome to New Joisey

What're you lookin' at?

[Kez/JWolf 6]

On my very first visit to the USA at the age of 15 I was asked to open my suitcase the officer checked everything when he got to my bag of make-up he opend it to find a packet of 20 Tampax.... he stood there and opened everyone up from the paper sleave they were in and laid them all out on the counter for everyone to see.... when my mother complained we were asked if we wanted to return to the UK that night.... I have never been more embarased in my life...

[Carol&Marc 0]

So emotional these travelers. They are rude because of delays #######. Some feared to be detained? Guilty consious? Who gives a ****! dont let the door hit ya

[aussiewench 9]

So emotional these travelers. They are rude because of delays #######. Some feared to be detained? Guilty consious? Who gives a ****! dont let the door hit ya

[Mags 112]

On my very first visit to the USA at the age of 15 I was asked to open my suitcase the officer checked everything when he got to my bag of make-up he opend it to find a packet of 20 Tampax.... he stood there and opened everyone up from the paper sleave they were in and laid them all out on the counter for everyone to see.... when my mother complained we were asked if we wanted to return to the UK that night.... I have never been more embarased in my life...

Absolutely MORTIFYING for a 15 year old I should think. Damn.

[almaty 19]

hmmm.. i wonder if this is a regional thing or all cross america?

[patricks 0]

It didn't used to be that way:

I used to work for a British Tour Operator in Orlando, FL in the 80's and early 90's and most of the British tourists visiting America had many positive comments about the American people in general. (vs their own people)

I lived abroad from late 90's to 2005 and I will say, since returning, American people in general have changed for the worse since when I grew up in the 70/80/90's: more serious, less friendly, and less overall service.

Regarding immigration: there's good and bad in most countries. Plus, everything changed after 9/11, sad but true.