Business travel to U.S. slumps because of security measures

LONDON — The United States is losing substantial numbers of business travelers to Europe because of the stringent security measures it imposes on international visitors, according to a new report by a tourism industry group.

Europe, meanwhile, is failing to fully capitalize on increased interest from Asian travelers because many countries do not have adequate services for that burgeoning market.

The World Travel Market 2006 report — conducted by Euromonitor International and released Monday — found that total business arrivals to the United States fell by 10 percent to 7 million over the 2004-2005 period, while the number of the business visitors to Europe grew by 8 percent to 84 million over the same period.

Euromonitor International spokesman Clement Wong said the trend away from North America was likely to intensify as security restrictions continue, making obtaining visas more difficult.

"Rather than travel to the U.S., business travelers and leisure travelers are coming to Europe," Wong said at the opening of the four-day World Travel Market in London. More than 48,000 people are attending the event, where some 200 countries are represented by tourism officials, government delegations and tour operators.

Fiona Jeffrey, managing director of the World Travel Market, said international tourism spending is now valued at $2 billion per day, with Africa maintaining the fastest growth in 2005 of nearly 8 percent.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization, or UNWTO, unveiled new figures Monday showing that global tourism is growing strongly for the third consecutive year in 2006.

The UNWTO said that strong growth in the first eight months of this year meant that full-year growth was likely to be 4.6 percent, in contrast to earlier estimates of 4.2 percent.

However, it said that growth is expected to slow to closer to 4 percent next year because of rising interest rates, a weakening U.S. dollar and strong fuel prices.