Brazilian News today includes an interesting item from further north.
In a move warmly welcomed by many, the administration of New York City announced this week it will be lobbying the US Government to ease entry requirements for tourists from Brazil. The city’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg and his staff feel that the current restrictions on visitors from Brazil. China and India (three of the four BRIC nations...interesting that Mr.Bloomberg seems less interested in the fourth country of the group, Russia) are seriously restricting the economy of the USA’s largest city. Not only that, but there are many negative knock-on results for actual service industry employment in the area in catering, accommodation and the many tourist sites.
Mr.Bloomberg was speaking at his ‘State of the City’ speech, given this time in the Bronx, ( decidedly not the most salubrious district of the metropolis). The name is modelled on the national ‘State of the Union’ speech given every year by the US President to the nation as a whole.
The Mayor went on to explain that his municipal government will be working closely this year with and through (in particular but not exclusively) two national US Senators, representing New York constituencies. They are Kirsten Gillebrand and Charles Schumer, Democratic Party representatives who will be pushing Washington for easing of the Tourist Visa procedures.
At the moment, a Brazilian wanting to visit the US (or New York in particular) must go through a rather cumbersome process. It involves completing a form on-line and then, eventually, undertaking a personal interview at a consular office of the US.
Increased numbers of tourists from Brazil to New York are likely to result in grater numbers visiting in the other direction too. The more Brazilians visit the economic powerhouse of the US, in return the more interest will develop there about South America’s leading nation. If handled carefully this could even result in a significant increase in inward international investment.
No comments:
Post a Comment