TOURTST DEFICIT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 9

TOURTST DEFICIT

Campaign In America NEW YORK. Foreign tourism in th* United States is booming—but not nearly enough to balance the outflow of dollar* spent by American* abroad About 720.000 foreign vi*itors are expected in the United States this year, compared with 004.000 last year. The difference between foreigners’ spending in America and Americans' ■pending In other countries 10 year* ago was 400 million dollars. In 1900 it had risen to 1200 million dollars; last year it was 1400 million, and this year's total is expected to be more. The trouble is. Americans are too affluent. More and more are travelling to foreign countries, and when they get there they spend more than visitors to this country. Two years ago the Government launched a "visit U.S.A." drive in an effort to narrow the tourist deficit. In the first seven month* of this year more than 412.000 visitors made the trip to the United States, an increase of 21 per cent over a year earlier. The Federal Travel Service claims credit for the increase by noting that the number of tourists from the areas it served jumped by 45 per cent in th* last two years, whil* areas without travel service branches showed an 8 per cent drop. Some hotels have reduced their rates for foreigners. Foreign language signs ar* appearing in many citie* and customs men are cutting red tape.—Reuter.