FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Q. 'How do you lose Tourists?' A. 'Charge them $US135 to enter.'
Old Apr 14, 2010, 1:56 am
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GUWonder
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
I agree that it is going to be annoying as hell to Argentinos to have to pay a visa fee to visit the US, but that at least paid for something, i.e., the time it took someone to do the backgrounding for the visa. For Argentina to charge the fee, basically out of spite, for no services at all, is "cutting off your nose to spite your face." Tourism by Yanks, Canucks, and Aussies is likely to be a big money maker for Argentina as a whole, so this big disincentive only hurts the people. I have avoided flying into Santiago to avoid their fee....

Having said that, I am appalled at the new $10 fee that the US Congress is now charging Europeans, and which is supposed to pay for "tourism marketing." I expect many countries to institute a reciprocal fee countering this, as well.

P.S. Are you enjoying your trip, Morphius?
The cost for Argentines to get a visa to the US generally exceeds $135 and involves having to actually go to the US embassy compound for a visit or more. Even if approved for a visa, some Argentines get rejected at passport control on arrival in the US. I have yet to hear of any US citizens getting rejected at passport control on arrival in Argentina after paying the visa reciprocity fee.

$135 on arrival is a lot better than having to apply for a visa in advance and gamble on government approval like the US demands of Argentine passport users. And there are still legitimate ways for ordinary US passport users to avoid the fee and still visit Argentina.
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