Interesting article from travel mole






06 March, 2008



US ranking in travel continues to plunge



The US dropped to the seventh-most competitive in international travel and tourism, dropping two places from a year ago, according to the Global Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008.

The second annual edition of the report by the World Economic Forum in conjunction with global management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton places Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia, Spain and Great Britain ahead of the US, with Sweden, Canada, and France rounding out the top 10.

“The rankings, covering 130 countries, are based on a measurement of over 60 variables that impact a country’s appeal in developing travel and tourism, including statutory regulations, health and safety, infrastructure, local price levels, and environmental and cultural aspects,” says the report known as TTCR.

Reasons for the US’s drop include other countries’ improving their transportation infrastructure and environmental protection efforts.

The researchers expanded the index from the 2007 report in an effort to capture the importance of environmental sustainability for the sector’s development.

The TTCR was developed as a tool to be used to identify the competitive strengths of individual countries as well as the barriers that impede the development of the sector.

The US ranks first for overall business environment and infrastructure, attributed mainly to its ability to meet high capacity air transport and tourism needs, including IT infrastructure.

The country ranks low on price competitiveness, placing 105th out of 130 countries.

With a relatively high number of World Heritage national sites and protected wildlife areas, the US ranks 2nd worldwide in natural resources. However, a perception exists that the country is not sufficiently protecting the environment, ranking 100th for environmental sustainability.

“The low score on this pillar is not only a result of relatively weak regulatory measures to combat global warming, but is also driven by inefficient energy consumption and the relatively high levels of air pollution in major cities,” said Justin Zubrod, Vice President at Booz Allen. He added:

“To attract more tourists in the long term, the US might consider adopting environmental policies that not only preserve natural assets but also change global perceptions about our leadership in environmentalism.”

Safety and security, at 119th place, are also of concern for the US. Aside from high costs associated with business needs for preventing crime and terrorism, the country also has among the highest rates of road traffic incidents.

The openness of US citizens toward foreign visitors is also ranked low, at 114th place. However, prioritization of travel and tourism has gone up from last year, from 47th to 21st place overall, though the industry still contributes only 3.8% to the GDP, compared with 6.3% for top-ranking Switzerland.

Report by David Wilkening

I just came back from a 9 day US trip, to get art supplies, just dont like it...could have done it in 24 hrs, but the airfare said I had to spend a Saturday night...Tourism is down here also, or so they say..was thinking that now that our International Airport is European owned...and their dollar is doing so well, perhaps our summer which is usually mostly Europeans ,especially August..will be busier than usual????

I’ve been here in the states for over a month now and everyone is afraid to spend money – even if they have it. Housing is a mess – Many many people refinanced themselves into a place where they owe more than their house is worth. Foreclosures all over the place.
Traffic is still very bad and gasoline is US $4.49 per gallon – or higher. There is a lot of unemployment in the upper and middle income brackets. One of the cities in California – Vallejo – is looking into filing bankruptcy.
I flew from Oakland to Orange County yesterday and the four lane drive to the airport was almost deserted, as was the terminal.
I listen to then news and ask “Is that something I need to know.” The answer is almost always NO!
That goodness for this message board and San Pedro Daily where I get the real inside scoop and things that matter – hey like “What happened to the US $10 million?” Inquiring minds want to know.
I can hardly wait to get home to Belize. I could never live in the states again – we are spoiled in Belize.

We are spoiled in Belize. So when I hear people going off on tangents saying we need to take care of our eco-system, health system, educational system, political system, poverty, teen pregnancy, HIV-AIDS, stamp out corruption etc etc in a manner that infers that the complainaint comes from a place that has everything easily in hand and totally together it just gets my back up.

Yes we have problems, but I wish folks would open their eyes and look around at their own homes and countries before lambasting ours.

We have world wide/ yes, global problems!

Anyway, let's get this 2008 election year over so that folks can settle down back to work, back to earning and back to spending. Let's make this world go around!!

"I hope Neil Young will remember"....well you know the rest of that song.

I read this board to learn something about Belize....not hear a bunch of arrogant tripe from ex-pats.

What will they do when those wascally Wepublican's hold the White House in November? Suicide? Kool Aide?
Belize population 290,000
Us population 350,000,000
If YOU cant get your house in order with such a miniscule population....pity!
Thank God WE have the sensibility (or should I say our present gov't) to ignore "regulatory measures to combat global warming". Unfortunately we have spawned the likes of Algore possibly the 21st century's most adept snake oil salesman.
But what do I know, Im just a redneck radical conservative.
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!!!!

Well said H20dog!!!

Its just a strange situation when a country has sold to foreigner's its..Airport..Phone Company..Electric Company and given away most all its heavy machinery and equipment,,a small country cant recoop from its mistakes as a larger one.That said Historically for a new country Belize is doing well.This was told to me by a Professor of History from Berkley. My experience in Vallejo last week was very different.than SKUBALDY.Got stuck in traffic going to Airport.Oakland Airport is always pretty mellow, but seemed business as usual..took 40 minutes to go 10 miles on a Sunday, with no games going in any of the stadiums..gas was 3.19 ,a gallon.That one station in Vallejo just south of American Canyon it was 3.02.The highest I saw was 3.69 in Yountville, It took more time to go through the check out line at the new Walmart in American Canyon 20 minutes (they closed the vallejo one) than it did to buy the acrylic paints I went in to buy. Traffic was hell everywhere. Tried to get a doctors appt..got to make those 3 weeks in advance ,,still prefer Universal Belize City...Yada Yada Yada....I love spending time in the produce departments at Grocery Stores,,check out lines at Safeway, Albertsons long as usual..

This is wearing thin.

I agree H20Dog.

Amanda posted an innocent enough article and then a handful of the usual complainers or people with agenda's run with it.

Belize for most of us is a vacation option. Period. I don't want to live there. I DO however respect your desire to do so.

I supect a FEW of you couldn't be happy anywhere though.

Please stop shoving your opinions down everyone's throat. It's obnoxious. The thoughtful,respectful and humorous debate( otter, ect.,) that can occur here is what I (hope) draws most of us to the board. That or to hear about a new restaurant. I tune out the lies and exaggerations.


Now! It's Friday and I for one plan on enjoying my weekend....

Well said !

U.S. bashing gets a little old too.