canada

Today, Canada announced a tightening of the border with Mexico. Effective immediately tourists traveling from Mexico must hold a visa. The move by the Canadian Immigration minister , Jason Kenney late Monday, will be felt most acutely by the Canadian Tourism Industry. Visas were also re-applied to citizens entering Canada from the Czech Republic. Both decisions were based on a growing number of refugee claims.

Mexican tourism visits to Canada grew a healthy 8% in 2008. As Canada’s 5th largest source of International travelers to Canada this is a market that is significant. The move threatens to shut the taps on visits that are already planned for this summer. A 48-hour grace period for Mexicans with imminent travel expires at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday. After that, all bets are off.

“What really hurts about this is that there’s was no warning at all … and all of a sudden, basically the day the doors were supposed to open on the beginning of the peak season, they’re being shut in our face a little bit,” said Hume Rogers, of Ottawa’s Capital Hotel and Suites.

Rogers had 25 rooms booked for 10 days this month with a Mexican tour group.

The Canadian government chose early July to immediately enforce the new Visa measures, another dagger in the coffin of Canadian Tourism operators already suffering significantly from the economic slump and other tourism crises, not the least of which just came in effect June 1, 2009 in the United States. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all US citizens to present passports or the equivalent document upon returning to the US for the first time ever. A 2005 survey of US border crossers showed just 35% of US border crossers to Canada had such documentation.

As a representative of the Canadian Tourism Industry, I am calling on the Conservative government to delay the visa requirement until year end, to allow our industry to cope with the change.

How do you feel? Call Stephen Harper’s office directly and voice your concern. Prime Minister’s office: 613-992-4211

Links:

• Canadian Press New Visa Requirements
• Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
• Video at Northern Edge Algonquin features Mexican guests last summer

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