I'm encouraged that the U.S. government is now working with convention and tourism leaders to balance national security concerns with a need to make travel to and within the United States easier. Recently, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new vision for securing our nation's borders while making the country more accessible.

Their announcement included a number of measures aimed at making travel more efficient and accommodating. Included is a new People Access Security Service or PASS card - a more basic version of a traditional passport, that will be of particular help to Canadians and Mexicans wishing to enter the United States. (A recent initiative requires increased documentation for travel between these borders, starting in 2008.)

Another initiative is a "model airport" program that will ensure a more welcoming environment for foreign visitors, testing of digital videoconferencing to ease interview requirements for visas, and paperless visa processing.

These new measures are a step in the right direction for our country's convention and tourism industries, as well as the U.S. economy. But we can't stop here. Too much is at stake.

 Nowhere is this more apparent than with inbound international travel. While the number of international visitors traveling to the United States has been slowly increasing, our market share is actually at an all-time low. U.S. share of inbound travelers dropped 35 percent between 1992 and 2004 (according to the Travel Industry Association of America [TIA]), resulting in a loss of $286 billion for our economy.

The direct effect on the convention business has been more profound, as the vast majority of professional events work to attract attendees from around the globe. Delayed visa requests, heavy-handed screening, long airport lines, and just plain negative perceptions of traveling to the United States have scared off many a potential attendee. And many of us have been direct witnesses to that cumulative effect on our bottom lines. "Visa issues (the difficulties in obtaining a visa) for non-U.S. attendees is the No. 1 challenge for my organization," wrote one planner who responded to Convene's 15th Annual Meetings Market Survey.

While international travel has attracted the most attention lately, we also need to be cognizant of how increased security affects domestic travel levels. I applaud the Transportation Security Administration and the DHS in working to establish a permanent Registered Traveler program. That program, which was tested at six airports, provides expedited security screening to domestic travelers who volunteer for government background checks.

PCMA has been working with other industry organizations such as TIA, National Business Travel Association (NBTA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Travel Business Roundtable, and the World Travel & Tourism Council to speak out on these issues. And we've been working to educate and assist our members on the latest policies and procedures.

The latest government announcement demonstrates that our voices are starting to be heard. There's more to be done, but recognition of our industry's economic influence - not to mention the opportunities it presents for positive global relations - is a significant step forward.