Will secretary Clinton help or hinder travel to Russia?

by Grant Martin on

Travelers around the world are waiting for the day when the borders to Russia open wider to visitors. Although the formerly Communist country does and will accept tourists, the application process is long and expensive — you don’t just wander up to the border to Russia, get your passport stamped and mosey down to Red Square, no, before visitors to the Red State are even allowed to apply for a visa they need to be sponsored, a process that isn’t difficult but one that takes time, money and most of all, patience.

Now that the Obama administration has the reigns, however, many have high hopes for better relations between the United States and some of her formerly cold neighbors. Cuba, for example, has recently been hinting at welcoming American citizens back into the island nation and kick starting its economy.

Such is the message that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is taking with her as she circles the globe: Give us some time and space to figure things out and rebuild bridges — we’re not here to fight.

Or at least that’s what she thought she was saying to Sergi Lavrov, Russia’s Secretary of State and a prominent official with whom she met last week. In an attempt to get relations started off on the right foot, Mrs. Clinton presented Lavrov with a gag “reset button” that was meant to symbolize the resetting of relations between the former Cold War foes.

On the bottom was written RESET, in English, while the top said PEREGRUZKA, in Russian. Which does not mean “reset.” It means “OVERLOAD.”

Thankfully, Mr. Lavrov took the gaff in stride and the meeting still went well. And with any luck, relations between the east and west will soon become even warmer, making we American tourists one step closer to easy weekend caviar and vodka trips to Moscow.

Cuba door cracks slightly

by Tom Johansmeyer on

President Barack Obama has announced that restrictions on travel to Cuba are about to become looser. But, it’s not time for cigar smokers across the United States begin to rejoice yet. So far, the measure will only allow Cuban-Americans with family on the island to visit, and Obama has stated that he supports the embargo.

The change in travel restrictions is part of a $410 billion spending bill approved by the Senate late Tuesday. It had already passed the House of Representatives and was signed by the president yesterday. The new law permits annual travel (rather than once every three years, under the Bush Administration‘s program) and increases a visitor’s allowable daily spend from $50 a day to $179 a day.

This is a small move, but by virtue of its involving Cuba, it becomes substantial. Bringing families back together, at least once a year, is a step in some right direction, whatever it may be.

Obama listens to travel industry gripes

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Leaders from across the travel industry met with President Barack Obama today to discuss … not a bailout. It’s no secret that luxury suffers when times are tough, and for many, any form of travel is not essential. Delta is cutting capacity, and the industry as a whole is getting ready to shed more than 200,000 jobs this year.

So, what is an industry of “frivolity” worth to our economy? A whopping $740 billion in annual spending … which fuels 7.7 million American jobs.

Travel is more important to us than we may realize. Sure, it provides some recreation and allows face-to-face business meetings. But, it also keeps the goods on grocery store shelves turning over, as each travel industry employee puts food on the table.

Unlike many corners of the economic world, this group of travel executives approached the president with a solution. They believe we need to bring more international visitors to the United States (a tough proposition with the recent turn in the U.S. dollar’s fortune) and do something to stem the downturn in meetings and events.

Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, says, “We are pleased that President Obama recognizes the power of travel to strengthen America’s economy.” He continues, “The travel community has an ally in President Obama and we appreciate the leadership he intends to bring to increasing travel to, and within, the United States.”

Of course, no exec would give up a chance to lobby the man in the Oval Office. The travel industry pushed for the passage of the Travel Promotion Act, which would yield the first U.S. marketing campaign targeted at growing the number of international visitors. Smart idea … as the average foreign visitor drops $4,000 inside our borders per visit.

Okay, it’s kind of a bailout. But, at least it comes with a plan. The executives at the meeting are listed after the jump.

  • Roger Dow, President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association
  • Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels; Chairman Emeritus, U.S. Travel Association
  • Jim Abrahamson, President, the Americas, IHG
  • Jim Atchison, President and COO, Busch Entertainment Corp.
  • Jeff Clarke, CEO and President, Travelport
  • Howard Frank, Vice Chairman and COO, Carnival Corporation & plc
  • Barney Harford, President and CEO, Orbitz Worldwide
  • W. Stephen Maritz, Chairman and CEO, Maritz Holdings Inc.
  • Bill Marriott, Chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc.
  • Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
  • Colin Reed, Chairman and CEO, Gaylord Entertainment
  • Frits van Paasschen, President, CEO and Director, Starwood Hotels and Resorts
  • Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts

Gadling Take FIVE: Week of Jan. 17 – Jan. 23

by Jamie Rhein on

When looking for posts this week that fit into a theme, I couldn’t quite see it. In that case, here is an assortment of posts that range from the useful tips to the thought provoking.

And, in light of the new U.S. president, here’s Jeffery’s President Barack Obama: How will he stack up as traveler-in-chief?

President Barack Obama: How will he stack up as traveler-in-chief?

by Jeffrey White on

Sticking with tradition, Barack Obama recently announced that his first foreign trip as president will be to Canada. Most US presidents choose our neighbor to the north for their first international jaunt aboard Air Force One (George W. Bush was a notably exception: He chose Mexico for his first foreign visit).

By most accounts, Barack Obama has a decidedly more global outlook than his predecessor — a result, in part, from an international background and upbringing. One of the questions of Obama’s first term will be just how much he intends to directly engage with the wider world.

One way to measure that is in the amount of foreign travel he’ll do during his time as president.

Most assume Bush rarely traveled beyond the borders of the US during his eight years in office (most also believe, wrongly, that Bush never visited Europe before he was president).

But in reality he did: USA Today says Bush made 47 foreign trips during his presidency, and visited more than 70 countries, some more than once (and around 15 in 2008 alone).

How does Bush stack up against past presidents? It’s hard to say, given that USA Today does not break the trips down into state visits; often a single trip could include several state visits, or individual touch-downs in foreign countries. The State Department, which keeps tracks of such things, will no doubt one day release all of Bush’s foreign visits. But for now, it suffices to say that the younger Bush still trails Ronald Reagan, his own father and the king of presidential travel, Bill Clinton, in the number of stamps marking his diplomatic passport.

Clinton is easily the biggest traveler of the last 10 presidents. He logged in 133 state visits during 54 trips to 74 countries during his eight years in office, spending an average of nearly 30 days overseas a year. Bush Senior comes in second with 60 state visits. Reagan, 49.

The Bush Senior stat is interesting, given that he had only four years in office.

Presidents like Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter logged 42 and 31 foreign state visits, respectively. Dwight Eisenhower, the last two-term president before Reagan, made 37.

Of course, just how much Obama intends to travel remains to be seen. But it’s a good bet that if he intends, to paraphrase his words, to repair America’s image abroad, then it’s a good bet that Air Force One will be fueled up and at the ready.