WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- President
Obama praised progress made in the American travel and tourism
industry, noting increased visa processing capacity and border
efficiency Wednesday.
In a White House statement, the president mentioned an executive
order from earlier in the year, directing federal agencies to
aggressively expand the United States' ability to welcome and attract
visitors.
He said the results could be seen in Department of Commerce
statistics noting an 8.1 percent increase in U.S. exports in 2011 from
2010, a 3 percent gain in spending by international tourists in July
2012 compared to July 2011, and travel and tourism-related exports
increasing more than $1.1 billion per month during the first seven
months of 2012.
He also pointed out that 88 percent of visa applicants are
interviewed within three weeks of submitting an application to a
consular office.
