LJLaurie Jo Miller Farr
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New Visa Fee Will Deter International Visitors, Says U.S. Travel Association
By Laurie Jo Miller Farr•
In this interview with CNN’s Richard Quest, U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman spoke out against the new $250 visa integrity fee that will be charged to all international visitors required to obtain nonimmigrant visas.
Calling it a “junk fee,” Freeman said the fee is “going overboard” in deterring travelers from visiting, potentially adding $1,000 to a trip for a family of four, who would have otherwise been spending that money at local businesses. “This was an imbecilic approach by somebody in Congress who thought it would be a good idea to create some new form of revenue on the backs of the people who want to do nothing more than support the US economy,” Freeman said.