Classroom clipper, Vol. XIX, No. 2, December 1962 - January 1963

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Dec. 1962-Jan. 1963
Published by Pan American Airways
Vol. XIX, No. 2
"VISIT U.S.A." PROGRAM TO SPUR LANGUAGE STUDY, SOCIAL SCIENCES
America has its welcome mat out, and today thousands of persons from foreign countries are visiting the United States to see the natural and man-made spectacles of the land and to study how Americans live.
For almost the entire history of travel up to now, tourism between the United States and other countries was a one-way street. Americans traveled abroad but few visitors came here.
Now that picture is dramatically changing, thanks in part to efforts of the United States Travel Service and to commercial organizations such as Pan American Airways.
This year the number of foreign visitors to the United States is expected to exceed
600.000,	and within a decade it is likely that
2.000.	000 vacationers, sightseers, businessmen, scientists and students will come to the U. S. annually.
AIDS ECONOMY
For the nation, this tide of tourists will make an important contribution to the economy, helping to ease the imbalance which today threatens the stability of the gold-based American dollar.
Also, this great number of visitors will constitute an important educational factor in the United States. Travel, as everyone knows, is an educational force, not only for the traveler himself but also for the people he meets. Many Americans will know more about Finland, France, Liberia, Australia, and Japan because they will meet people from those lands coming to visit in the United States.
The role of host for Americans will stimulate greater interest in schools in the study of language, history, and the social sciences.
Until the United States Travel service was established, with a budget of $2.5 million, as part of the Department of Commerce in the summer of 1961, the United States was the only major country in the world without an official travel promotion bureau under government auspices.
The USTS was created by Congress to “develop, plan and carry out a comprehensive program to stimulate and encourage travel to the United States by residents of foreign countries for ... study, culture, recreation, business and other activities.. .and for promoting friendly understanding and good will among people of foreign countries and of the United States.”
PAN AM IN LEAD
The largest and most comprehensive pro-
gram in support of the “Visit U.S.A.” program is that of Pan American Airways, which is spending nearly $4 million this year to attract visitors from abroad.
During 1961, Pan American’s “Visit U.S.A.” program was instrumental in bringing an estimated 150,000 persons to the United States, representing through their purchases of transportation and goods and services inside the United States an expenditure of $150,000,000 — equivalent to the nation’s entire export of agricultural machines, implements and parts.
The red carpet is being rolled out for visitors from abroad. They find a cordial welcome at major ports of entry, less red tape, more language assistance, new information centers and foreign currency exchange services.
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
The months from May to October are proving the most popular time to travel in the U. S. The majority of travelers from overseas plan to stay two to four weeks. Many groups come on business-pleasure trips, mixing sightseeing with professional travel, visiting their counterparts here, studying how Americans do things.
Often business and professional groups plan their itinerary to be in the U. S. at a
time when conventions of particular interest are held. Typical of such groups are educators, farmers, retailers — and even funeral directors. Pan American leads in organizing this type of travel and brings about 600 study-tour groups to the United States each year.
A survey made by American Express revealed a number of interesting facts about preferences of overseas visitors. For example, the most popular cities, in order of preference, proved to be: New York, Washington, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Detroit, New Orleans, Denver, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Las Vegas.
SUPERMARKETS AND SKYSCRAPERS
International visitors have great curiosity about the United States, the survey showed. In addition to natural wonders they want to see American supermarkets, public housing, cross-country highways and railroads, automobile factories and skyscrapers.
Leading attractions are: Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, the Empire State Building, United Nations, Rockefeller Center, the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Mt. Vernon, Yosemite, Yellowstone and other national parks, the Rocky Mountains, Disneyland, Hollywood, the Pacific Coast and Williamsburg.

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AMERICANS ABROAD: As part of its “Visit U.S.A.” program Pan American, in cooperation with Greyhound Bus Co., gives Europeans a taste of America with a busload of Americans touring the continent. Here, in Hamburg, Germany, cowboy Jack Clinton Maddox demonstrates rope techniques. Also aboard the bus were stewardesses, customs officials, national park
rangers, and a jazz combo.
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