Departure flights of Americans to foreign countries is up 2.9%. If that is indicative of the normal post pandemic recovery and travel growth then down 3.8% might be down roughly 6% from what it would have been. But it's possible the trend wouldn't match America's travel growth or more egress from America is being driven by related factors.
I can't read the article (paywall) - does the "international arrivals" include Americans travelling overseas, or only non-Americans?
If the latter, then indeed it's not dramatic. But if the former, then the number of contingent trips to the US might have dropped a lot, and is hiding mixed in with regular unaffected traffic of USians.
1. At certain levels, one has to meet your peers for lunch and dinner. Makes it harder for them to say no.
2. Could not care less about “climate issues.” A better reason for video conferencing is to avoid airports and especially dealing with border control clowns asking the same silly questions every trip, and the McDonald’s rejects called TSA.
I don't think people fear what the media will do to them. People have rational fears about what some governments can do to them, and some governments are very eager to show their willingness to ruin people's lives.
People became afraid of visiting North Korea because one (1) person got arrested for committing a goofy crime. An American president even made it a crime for Americans to visit as a result of one (1) person facing legal repercussions for their crime. Maybe that fear is a result of bad media diet, but I don't think the fear of visiting NK is irrational.
Now consider a state that just arrested 400+ South Koreans and is holding them in brutal conditions. [1] Or even being a tourist and trying to leave but getting arrested. [2] The odds of something bad happening are far higher than if you'd chosen to visit North Korea. For a lot of people, that risk isn't worth whatever benefits, if any, travel might offer.
You can't drop a comment like that without offering alternative media sources, or at least explaining why you assume they don't have a diverse media diet.
Canadian here. I have no plans to visit the US for the foreseeable future. This is upsetting to me since I have multiple long-term friends who live there that I'd like to visit. I don't feel safe so I'm not going!
You’re only hurting yourself and your friends. At least in LA we’re as pissed off about the current admin as anyone else and love it when people visit.
Individuals in the US, even if a vast majority, being nice and happy that you visit doesn't stop the possibility of legally being held at a port of entry for any reason, even with a valid visa. This isn't new, although the frequency of this happening and reported has gone up.
I cannot understand this sentiment. If you commit a crime in a country and don't pay the fine, why would you be surprised if they made you pay the fine next time you crossed the border? Even if it were a parking ticket I wouldn't find Canada's actions here objectionable, and DUI is a lot more serious than that. Unless I've misunderstood the scenario you're describing.
She didn’t commit the DUI in Canada, she did in the US. We were in the country for three days (Victoria) and didn't even have a car, so she couldn’t have recommitted the offense even if she wanted to, which she obviously wouldn’t want to.
She committed a serious crime and didn't pay the penalty which normally in the US comes with additional criminal penalties for non-payment. They would have been perfectly justified to extradite her and take her to jail.
Also how can you say that she couldn't offend again? She could easily rent or drive another.
I think you don't understand what has happened here. OP's wife has a DUI in the USA. Canada does not normally allow people with a DUI into Canada. In exchange for $250, they allowed her in. This is both a surprise and a nuisance for OP.
It sounded to me like she paid her US fine and thus ceased to be a scofflaw. After further reading it looks like convicted criminals can apply for a temporary residence permit for CAN $239.75.
This may not be needed if 5+ years have passed without further misdeeds and may apply to be deemed rehabilitated.
This covers individual evaluation of your case and may be denied. It probably also serves to keep the riff raff put especially Americans who otherwise may take a day trip to share their further drunken driving adventures with their least lucky Canadian friends.
It is hard to contextualize this as a bribe with poster as a victim when the very reasonable alternative is simple denial.
You have no right to visit Canada and they can charge you as much as they please and its your responsability to do your own homework as far as travel requirements.
I don't understand the comparison. Was she at risk of being locked up for days or weeks? People aren't worried about being denied entry. People are worried about having their rights violated.
Consider actually traveling, I’ve been to two different countries recently and one had protests about tourists and the other had shirts. The next two I’m looking at going seem to be similarly hostile.
