Border Woes - are you prepared for the passport problem?
In 2008 all US citizens will require passports to enter Canada and enjoy our tourism experiences. Beginning January 2007, passengers arriving by air or water will require passports.
Currently only 22% of US Citizens have border crossing documents that will permit them to travel to Canada and return to the US.
While the definative identification card has not been established to replace passports it is clear that many Americans will not bother to get the i.d. card or passport to come to Canada in the coming year.
In Windsor Ontario yesterday tourism businesses debated the implications of new US policy on their Web sites. Some good ideas came forth to help your business be better prepared to help US travellers find their way to your tourism business.
Currently only 22% of US Citizens have border crossing documents that will permit them to travel to Canada and return to the US.
While the definative identification card has not been established to replace passports it is clear that many Americans will not bother to get the i.d. card or passport to come to Canada in the coming year.
In Windsor Ontario yesterday tourism businesses debated the implications of new US policy on their Web sites. Some good ideas came forth to help your business be better prepared to help US travellers find their way to your tourism business.
- put links on your Web site to US application for passports
- link to OTMPC information for visitors to Ontario
- try to put a positive spin on the fear around travel document requirements. Ensure US citizens that passports are currently not required to visit Canada
- consider the type of traveller that will go to the trouble of getting a passport. Are they more likely to be higher income, higher education? Develop new experiences that target the more affluent US traveller or worldly traveller who already has a passport.
- border cities might be quicker to adopt to the new rules, consider focusing more attention on near border Web marketing
- encourage early planning for US visitors... offer incentives to book early so that travel documents can be arranged in a timely fashion.
- although travel documents are not required at present. The future travel restrictions may create a backlog in the application departments. Encourage your returning guests to apply for travel documents now to beat the rush.
To be sure, no one is excited about the prospect of anything else (SARS, War in Iraq, West Nile, 9/11) that could dampen tourism business from the US. But remember, even though the the US passport legislation might not be what the tourism industry in Canada wants, preparation is the best medicine.
1 Comments:
Even with passports it could still be difficult to travel between the Canada and U.S. border if you have any sort of criminal or arrest record in the past. I know what it's like to be detained at the border, searched, and sent back or even locked up over night. The only solution to my problem was getting a U.S. entry waiver. I owe my thanks to Canadian Pardon Services who helped me through the entire application process to get the proper documents. You can learn more about border issues at www.USborderblog.com.
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