International

Tourism involves the movement of people across county, state, and national borders. In order for international movement to occur there must be agreements among countries to ensure the rights of travelers.

International agreements

Diplomatic recognition. When one country offers diplomatic recognition to another it acknowledges the legal right of that country to exist. Two-way tourism cannot exist between two countries that do not recognize each other. Without diplomatic recognition treaties cannot be negotiated regarding such things as the reciprocal issuing of visas and the safety of visitors. A government will generally refuse to allow visits from citizens of countries it does not recognize. Travel by its own nationals to the unrecognized country is also restricted.

Commercial agreements. One way in which countries formalize their cooperation in the area of tourism is to negotiate a formal treaty. These treaties spell out the rights and privileges of travelers to the two countries. Since

1978 the United States, through the US Travel and Tourism Administration, has signed bilateral tourism agreements with Mexico, Philippine Islands, China, and Egypt. These agreements state a commitment to promote tourism by exchanging such things as statistical information and vocational training techniques.

Consular offices. Consular offices carry out a variety of activities essential to tourism. For example, they are responsible for such things as the protection of, and providing services for, their nationals in a foreign country and the documentation of tourists who wish to visit that country.

Visa agreements. Holding a valid passport may not be sufficient to obtain entry into a country. Travel between two countries is seen as a privilege rather than a right. Nations can require that a visa be obtained for entry into and/or exit from their country. This is usually done to discourage undesirables. At the present time, France requires that visitors obtain a visa to enter that country. The French government, concerned about terrorist bombings in France, wishes to have additional control over who it allows into the country.

It is also necessary for an overseas tourist to the United States to receive a visa. It is up to the tourist to prove that he or she is worthy of nonimmigrant status. To obtain a visa to enter the United States the applicant must be able to prove that he or she will leave the United States at the end of the visit, that permission has been obtained from another nation to enter that country at the end of the US stay, and that he or she has enough money to finance the purpose of the visit to the United States. The United States currently has visa agreements with more than 80 nations.

Air agreements. The first bilateral agreement between countries concerning air travel was signed by the United States and Great Britain in 1946. Known as the Bermuda Agreement, it provided the model for later bilateral agreements. It basically stated that:

In the late 1970s, the United States began to negotiate "pro-competitive" bilateral agreements. These agreements sought to make international air travel more accessible to the population by encouraging low fares through price competition. Such agreements allowed each country to name as many airlines as it wished to be part of any negotiated agreement, disallowed unilateral limits on the frequency of flights of the other country, and stated that price of flights should be determined by the marketplace.

Recent agreements have included nonscheduled services also.

International organizations

World Tourism Organization. Headquartered in Spain, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) is recognized as the world's most important tourism organization. Among other things, it serves as a consultant to the United Nations. The WTO seeks to promote tourism throughout the world, particularly in the developing countries. It collects information and issues publications dealing with such things as world tourism trends, approaches to marketing and the protection of natural and cultural resources. Its affiliates conduct training and education programs. The WTO also works to ease foreign travel in a variety of ways: by reducing the number of passport and visa requirements and by standardizing travel signs.

International Airlines Travel Agent Network. The International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN) is an international organization open to any airline that holds a certificate for scheduled air service from a government eligible for membership in the International Civil Aviation Organization. It exists to ease the movement of people and goods throughout the world by air. Dues to support its operation are paid by the more than 100 member and associate member airlines.

The IATAN is principally involved in two areas. First, it standardizes documentation between international airlines. In this way, for example, it is possible to travel anywhere in the world, even using several different airlines, on one ticket bought at one price and paid for in one currency. The network acts as a clearinghouse for monies due the various airlines. If, for example, a tourist were to travel from Chicago to London on United Airlines and continue on to Amsterdam on KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), the tourist could travel on one ticket and pay for it in US dollars. Part of the money would go to United, part to KLM.

The IATAN is also involved in setting rates. Once governments have concluded a bilateral agreement on air travel between the two countries, IATAN convenes a traffic conference to negotiate the rates to be charged. These rates must then be accepted by the governments involved.

International Civil Aviation Organization. Formed in 1944, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) membership is composed of 80 governments. A specialized agency of the United Nations, it works to promote worldwide civil aviation and is also concerned with the safe design and operation of aircraft and facilities to be used for peaceful purposes. It also seeks to promote efficient and economical air transport.

Developmental organizations

A number of international organizations have shown a willingness to finance the development of tourism. The World Bank, in Washington, DC in the US, has been a supporter of tourism development in developing countries in the past. More recently, however, it has cut down significantly on its interest in tourism.

Regional international organizations

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Yugoslavia is an associate member. The OECD was formed in 1960 to encourage economic growth among member countries.

Through its tourism committee, the OECD studies problems concerning tourism and makes recommendations to the member countries. In addition to publishing an annual report on tourism in the member countries, the organization takes an active role in collecting tourism statistics and encouraging the use of standard definitions.

Pacific Area Travel Association. The more than 2,000 members of the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) represent 34 countries in the Pacific region and Asia. The goal is to encourage the growth of tourism in the Pacific area. This is achieved through joint marketing efforts (marketing representatives have offices in London, Frankfurt, and Paris) and through development and research. An annual conference is held, along with several Pacific travel marts that bring together buyers and sellers of travel.

Other organizations. A variety of regional organizations exist, similar to the ones mentioned above. The Caribbean Tourism Association and the European Travel Commission have been set up to promote tourism in the Caribbean islands and Europe, respectively.