Travel issues enter the Presidential race

PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Senator John McCain has made an early bid to position himself as a champion of inbound travel to the USA.

The Republican nominee for the White House was the first to meet with travel industry chiefs, in late May, to discuss the most critical issues of the domestic and international inbound travel process.

The round-table discussion, which also included several prominent mayors, concentrated on the value of travel promotion to attract international visitors, inefficiencies in the entry process for international travellers and growing concern over the deteriorating domestic air travel process.

"Public dissatisfaction with America's air travel system is growing," said Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and ceo of Loews Hotels and Chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable.

"Travel is critically important to the American economy and must be a top priority for whoever is the next president of the United States."

In a 2007 survey of likely primary voters in Florida and South Carolina, a majority of both Democrats and Republicans said ‘government could do more’ to improve the travel experience.

The Travel Business Roundtable and Travel Industry Association (TIA) have urged each of the presidential candidates to demonstrate their commitment to enhancing the travel experience.

"As the travel process becomes more difficult, America's economy and image suffers," said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the Travel Industry Association (TIA). "We need presidential leadership on this issue.”