Op-Ed: America's Secret Weapon: U.S. Travel and Tourism

There's a new global conflict confronting America that our military is defenseless against—it's a war for the hearts and minds of people around the world. That battle is made more difficult by the perception that Americans don't care what the world thinks of us. Such a perspective in a post-9/11 world is not only naive but also dangerous. America's ability to be a leader for openness, innovation, creativity and freedom—traits that have fueled our rise economically—is threatened as the world's opinion of us continues to deteriorate.

There is a general cooling toward American culture in every region of the world. Polling has shown a steady drop in support for American ideas as well as an erosion in trust for American corporations, the brands they market, and in some cases Americans themselves. One case in point is from a recent survey, which found that more Australians have a positive view of China than the United States. For Americans, it's getting so bad that some of our citizens living in places like London find it easier to pass themselves off as Canadians.

Fortunately, all hope is not lost. For one, more and more of us know that we have a problem. Vice President Cheney recently stated that in order to win the war on terror the U.S. must "get the public diplomacy piece of it right," and Karen Hughes is going through a confirmation hearing for her appointment as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. She will be tasked with addressing the U.S. image problem overseas.

One untapped force that can play a pivotal role in improving the U.S. image around the world is our nation's travel and tourism industry. Travel helps break down barriers, eradicate prejudices and promote a greater understanding among peoples. The industry is uniquely positioned to influence the hearts and minds of international travelers, and the relatively weak dollar makes this an opportune time to encourage people to visit our country. What better way to convince the world of what we are and for what we stand than to bring them here to see for themselves?

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press identified America's secret weapon in the worldwide image war—Americans. We too see the potential in every American to be an ambassador. The more often people from other countries come in contact with Americans, the more likely they are to think favorably of the United States. Business for Diplomatic Action, a private-sector task force, has enlisted the business community to tackle the problem of rising anti-Americanism. One of the organization's first projects was to create a "World Citizens Guide" for Americans studying abroad. Funded by Pepsi, it coaches students on how to be world citizens as well as gracious ambassadors for our country. A similar guide for business travelers is under consideration.

Many would-be visitors have been put off by the assumption that it is too difficult to get into the United States. The myriad visa policies promulgated after 9/11 have made it difficult, and confusing, for many legitimate travelers seeking entry into the United States. The travel and tourism industry is working closely with the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security to better facilitate inbound travel as well as better inform international travelers of our entry requirements, thus alleviating some of the confusion. The industry recently experienced a significant victory when the biometric requirements for visitors from the 27 Visa Waiver Program Countries were clarified to create the least interruption to travel from 24 of the 27 countries. "Fortress America" is slowly giving way to "Come See America!"

We live in a complex time, but surely we can all come together behind the American qualities that are most important to us and are also highly valued by people around the world. Surely we can continue to work together, with government, to carefully balance the need for security and the free flow of goods and people. And surely we can agree that no matter what our political views are, each of us holds within our hands and our hearts the power to demonstrate all that is good about America to our international visitors and to those in other countries that we visit. It's not just a matter of doing something nice, it's about doing something that is necessary.

Jonathan Tisch is chairman of Loews Hotels and chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable, a CEO-level group that represents travel industry issues to U.S. policymakers. Roger Dow is president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association of America.