In an attempt to attract visitors to travel to the United States, President Barack Obama has signed a new Travel Promotion Act into law that requires a $10 fee to enter the country. The income from this new fee will go toward a push for marketing and outreach to encourage more visitors.
President Obama signed the bill on Thursday as part of a $100 million private sector fundraising campaign. The promotion – in addition to encouraging people to travel to the U.S. – also aims to educate people from other countries about the United States, specifically about entry requirements.
Currently, visitors from 35 states can use the Visa Waiver Program, which lets you travel to the United States for 90 days without a visa, for $10.
Some oppose the fee, stating that it is unnecessary and a peculiar way to promote encouragement, but others say that compared to other countries’ departure airport fees, $10 is a minimal sum.
The Washington Post reports that the new law could attract up to 1.6 million new international visitors, and could create more than $4 billion in spending.
