2007年VOA标准英语-Group Seeks to Bring International Tourism Doll
时间：2019-01-07 作者：英语课 分类：2007年VOA标准英语（六月）
Washington, D.C.
19 June 2007
America's tourism industry is expressing alarm over a sharp decrease in the number of international visitors to the United States. The downturn has prompted a consortium of American businesses to call on Congress to ease restrictions 1 for visitors from nations outside North America. VOA's Robert Raffaele has the story.
The U.S. Commerce Department says more than two million fewer people from five key nations visited the United States in 2005, compared to 2000. Those nations -- Britain, Japan Germany, France and Brazil -- had been America's largest source of overseas visitors, and their absence is being felt.
The Travel Industry Association reports the U.S. saw a loss of $43 billion in visitor spending in 2005 alone. A coalition 2 of U.S. businesses is calling on the nation to spruce up its welcome mat.
The Discover America Partnership 3 wants Congress to approve a series of proposals, aimed at boosting incoming tourism. One of them is charging a $10 fee for travelers from so-called "Visa Waiver" nations. The U.S. does not require visitors from those 27 nations to obtain a visa for a stay of 90 days or less. The group says the proposed fee would result in $200 million annually 4, to pay for increased border security and tourism promotion 5.
Former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge
Former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is a consultant 7 for the Discover America Partnership. "Our connectivity to the rest of the world depends upon the rest of the world's access to us,” he says. “If we can improve access, we improve travel, we can do it in a way that we do not compromise security, in fact, one could argue -- improve security."
A survey commissioned by the group asked some 2,000 international tourists about their perceptions of the U.S. visa and entry policies. By more than a two-to-one margin 8, respondents said the U.S. had the world's "worst" entry system. Sixty-six percent said they feared they would be detained for hours, because of simple mistakes.
Ridge says speeding up the visa application process for non-waiver tourists would be a positive step. "If we could tell the world that there's a 30-day window, that we will process you, and interview and process you within 30 days, that creates an entirely 9 differently kind of environment . We're not doing fewer interviews, we're just doing them quicker."
Ridge called the Visa Waiver fee a fair proposal. He pointed 10 out that many countries charge international tourists entry or exit fees.
- I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
- a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
- The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
- Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。
- The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
- Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
- Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
- They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
- The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
- The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。
- We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
- The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
- He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
- Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。
- We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
- The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。