介绍:
U.S. Woos Tourists from Emerging Markets
From CRIENGLISH.com
woo [wu:]
vt. 追求, 向...求爱, 恳求
vi. 求爱, 央求
They wooed customers by offering low interest rates...
他们靠提供低息来招揽客户。
A daily parade winds through Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida.
Disney World is one Florida's largest employers and one of the reasons the state attracted nearly 12 million visitors in 2014.
The tourism industry pumps[pʌmp][大量投入；大量注入] more than 70 billion dollars into Florida's economy every year.
"We have close to one million visitors every year from the UK, we have a lot of visitors from Germany and France."
Professor Youcheng Wang is an Associate Dean[副院长] at The University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management[酒店管理].
He recently hosted a summit to promote the tourism business ties between the US and China.
While he says China is the world's largest tourism market, those traveling to the US under the Visa Waiver Program[免签证计划] still outnumber[aʊtˈnʌmbɚ][数量多于; 比…多] Chinese tourists.
"There are roughly[ˈrʌflɪ][粗略地; 大体上; 大致上] 38 countries in that program. That program probably generates 20 million visitors. And the economic impact[经济影响] is probably about 190 billion US dollars, which is huge."
But US lawmakers say they're are concerned terrorists holding European passports could enter the US visa-free[免签证] to carry out attacks.
The new rules mean people who've traveled to Iraq and Syria within the previous five years will need to obtain a visa from a US embassy[美国大使馆]. As will people who hold dual nationality[双重国籍] with Iraq, Syria, Iran, or Sudan.
The shake-up[重大调整，整顿] also makes it easier for countries to be removed from the Visa Waiver Program altogether.
Professor Wang says the impact of the overhaul[ˈoʊvərhɔ:l][全面修订;大修;彻底检修] is being watched closely by business leaders.
"Because this policy, from a long-term perspective[从长远看], will effect the tourism industry."
At Miami International Airport[迈阿密国际机场], some visitors entering the country say they're concerned about the moves. Rogelio Aguilo is a citizen of Spain - one of the countries in the Visa Waiver Program.
"It would definitely complicate[ˈkɑ:mplɪkeɪtɪd][使复杂化] the entry/admission process to the United States and I think it will also affect the amount of tourism coming in."
Waiting in the arrivals area for a group of Scandinavian[ˌskændɪ'neɪvɪrn][斯堪的纳维亚(人)的] tourists is Eki Mikkonen, who runs a tour group in Florida.
"Now if they have to apply for a visa it's much more difficult of course that is going backward[倒退] I think."
Industry analysts[行业分析师] say while the changes won't impact the process for the vast majority of tourists, they might still cause a decline in visitor numbers.
Professor Youcheng Wang says the reforms could impact the number of visitors from not only visa-waiver[免签证] countries, but also other places such as China.
waiver [ˈwevɚ]
n. 弃权; 放弃; 弃权声明书
N-COUNT 权利放弃,弃权;(规则或法律的)不强求执行
Non-members do not qualify for the tax waiver normally applied to members.
非会员不具备通常会员才有的免税资格。
"The perception is the key. Because that is what generates perceptions among people - particularly visitors who are interested in coming to visit the United States - that this is maybe not a very welcoming message."
But in contrast, the US and China recently extended[ɪkˈstɛnd][延伸; 扩大; 推广] the validity[vəˈlɪdəti][有效;合法性;效力] of tourist visas offered to each others' citizens.
Industry experts say that's a sign of the increasing long-term importance of Chinese visitors, who in 2014 accounted for the fifth largest number of US arrivals.
The number of tourists from the 38 visa-waiver[免签证] countries is expected to outnumber[aʊtˈnʌmbɚ][数量多于; 比…多] Chinese visitors for sometime.
But after nearly a decade of double-digit[两位数的] growth, China already accounts for the second largest chunk[tʃʌŋk][大量;大部分] of US visitor spending at 24 billion dollars. And that's a trend that tourist leaders hope will continue.
For China Radio International, I'm Steve Mort in Miami.
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