International travel

It’s common knowledge now that visitors to the US have to undergo an endurance test of endless paperwork, rules and restrictions. This is not to say that US will lose its glamor as a destination even as foreigners get a taste of the not-welcome-here treatment on entry.

A travelmole report suggest that atleast some US airports (under a new initiative by US Customs and Border Protection) are attempting to improve the perception. The George Bush International airport will soon become a model port with instructional videos and brochures on the customs process and officers roaming the lines to answer queries. While the attempt is laudable, perhaps the need of the hour is something more dramatic and real like cutting down the wait time for a US visa for students, business and working professionals.

Published by

Vijay Dandapani

Co-founder and president of a New York based hotel company for 24 years. Grew the firm to five hotels in Manhattan and also developed a greenfield project at MacArthur airport, New York. Speaker at numerous prestigious forums including Economy Hotels World Asia, Lodging Conference, NYU, Columbia University Real Estate Roundtable, Baruch College's Zicklin School and ALIS. President and ceo of New York City Hotel Association since January 2017.