Fewer Americans traveling overseas

[S Landreth]

But you don’t want these types of travelers visiting anyway.

Obama recently signed H.R.22 -- FAST Act Bill (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act). It’s a highway bill or a 305 billion spending package for transportation (for five years).

Why less Americans traveling overseas?

This bill made it easier for the State Department to revoke your passport (or deny you a passport) for certain unpaid taxes.

SEC. 32101. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN UNPAID TAXES.

(a) In General.—Subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“SEC. 7345. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.

“(a) In General.—If the Secretary receives certification by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that an individual has a seriously delinquent tax debt, the Secretary shall transmit such certification to the Secretary of State for action with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of a passport pursuant to section 32101 of the FAST Act.

“(b) Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘seriously delinquent tax debt’ means an unpaid, legally enforceable Federal tax liability of an individual—

“(A) which has been assessed,

“(B) which is greater than $50,000, and

“(C) with respect to which—

“(i) a notice of lien has been filed pursuant to section 6323 and the administrative rights under section 6320 with respect to such filing have been exhausted or have lapsed, or

“(ii) a levy is made pursuant to section 6331.

Snip

B) LIMITATION FOR RETURN TO UNITED STATES.—If the Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, may—

(i) limit a previously issued passport only for return travel to the United States; or

(ii) issue a limited passport that only permits return travel to the United States.

I think it goes into effect January 1, 2016.

Welcome home

[mudcat]

Short sales of underwater homes generated large tax bills for the forgiven balance - talk about kicking someone when they are down.

[VocalNeal]

Why less Americans traveling overseas?

Starting holiday entitlement for most employees is only two weeks. Yes there is personal emergency leave but that is not allowed to be used for holiday as far as I know.

So why few Americans travel overseas is easy? Not enough time?

[harrybarracuda]

That's thousands of flights you don't have to listen to some American 30 rows away having a "conversation" at the top of his or her voice.

Excellent news.

[thaimeme]

That's thousands of flights you don't have to listen to some American 30 rows away having a "conversation" at the top of his or her voice.

Excellent news.

Americans aren't known for their traveling [residing] prowess anyway.

A much more overwhelming percentage of Americans have never obtained a passport [compared to their Western counterparts] and then most U.S. passport holders use it to cross into Canada or Mexico largely.

Such a worldly culture [not].

[harrybarracuda]

That's thousands of flights you don't have to listen to some American 30 rows away having a "conversation" at the top of his or her voice.

Excellent news.

Americans aren't known for their traveling [residing] prowess anyway.

A much more overwhelming percentage of Americans have never obtained a passport [compared to their Western counterparts] and then most U.S. passport holders use it to cross into Canada or Mexico largely.

Such a worldly culture [not].

That's why I said "thousands" and not "millions", dickhead.

[rickschoppers]

Americans have much less vacation each year than many countries, which has already been stated. A bigger issue is lack of disposable income needed to pay for international travel. There is little money left after paying all the taxes imposed, mortgages or rent, food, high utility costs, and the endless organizations coming at you with their hands out. All of this along with the bombardment of advertising and promotions for credit leaves the average American with little to spend on foreign vacations.

There is already a large number of tourist attractions to spend ones money on without having to leave the country. Pile on top of that the recent changes in airport security and having to jump through all the TSA hoops, and the average American would rather stay home than take an international vacation.

For those of you living in the EU, going into another country is fairly simple with regard to proximity and passing across borders. Most Americans travel either to Mexico or Canada along with the Carribean when they want a foreign vacation. Unfortunately, this does lead to a lack of knowledge about the rest of the world, which is unfortunate.

[Dapper]

Fewer Americans traveling overseas

No shit.

The only place most Americans are welcome is in their own country.

Even there their own police try to treat them like cattle.

American Revolution II - the only option

[boloa]

Unfortunately, this does lead to a lack of knowledge about the rest of the world, which is unfortunate.

They did fool those interviewed though ....... by writing different countries names on Australia

[harrybarracuda]

Pile on top of that the recent changes in airport security and having to jump through all the TSA hoops, and the average American would rather stay home than take an international vacation.

The TSA hoops apply whether you're going to Dallas or Delhi.

[thaimeme]

In defence, American military and intelligence are quite well-traveled - been there, done that.

[buriramboy]

Is it true that Americans only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year?? 5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

[thaimeme]

Is it true that Americans only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year?? 5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

The PAID aspect of any such holiday time off isn't guaranteed/mandatory in any American employment situation.

Less than 25% of the workforce have such a luxury.
Paid holiday, indeed.

[fishlocker]

Whith all that time off I would have expected more European vacatin threads.

It is the holidays. One of you must have done something cool. Like gone some place and did something.

[thailazer]

Whith all that time off I would have expected more European vacatin threads.

It is the holidays. One of you must have done something cool. Like gone some place and did something.

Yeah, but isn't it cool how TD members can always make a thread into an anti-American one?

[fishlocker]

Is it true that Americans only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year?? 5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

It all depends on what you do for work. Most employers link vacation time to tenure time.

I know many people with over 6 weeks paid vacation but it's taken them half thier life to "earn" it.

Here if you leave a place you start over. If you have the right skills you can bargain for a better package from your future employer.

For the average worker today it's pretty grim. No free lunch so to speak. My hats off to you for having long leaves. The US is still pretty much a dog eat dog society. But we are not the only ones. In fact Ive been many places where they eat dog.

[BaitongBoy]

One of the main reasons they don't travel abroad is that there is no other country that offers such a diversity in climate than does the US of A...At any given time they have a mixture of nearly the hottest and coldest temperatures on the planet...

From Alaska to Hawaii, and a myriad of destinations in between, there isn't another nation that comes close...

They are quite content to travel within their own country for vacations, for the most part...

[nigelandjan]

5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

Lucky you ,, not where I work only 20 days , which includes bank holidays , which a lot of people are unaware that they can do , bank hols can count toward your annual allowance of 20 days.

If you don't work for scrooge + co ltd , you get treated like a human and appreciated for what you do all year for them

[bowie]

A bigger issue is lack of disposable income needed to pay for international travel. There is little money left after paying all the taxes imposed, mortgages or rent, food, high utility costs,

Rick hit the nail on the head - basically, Americans cannot afford going overseas. Another aspect of this is that there is plenty to see "local" within driving distance.

It really does come down to disposable income. The recession most certainly changed the way Americans view money. Few are now willing to "splurge" on a relatively expensive overseas vacation when economizing on local trips fit the bill.


green owed.

[rickschoppers]

Pile on top of that the recent changes in airport security and having to jump through all the TSA hoops, and the average American would rather stay home than take an international vacation.

The TSA hoops apply whether you're going to Dallas or Delhi.

Yes, that is why Americans fly less than they used to, myself included. I have been taking the train whenever I could when I go back home to avoid TSA. I used to fly in the US quite a bit, not anymore.

[rickschoppers]

Is it true that Americans only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year?? 5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

If you are lucky. Many jobs give less and most you must work 1 year before taking any vacation days. Pretty messed up, IMO. When I finally retired, I was receiving 4 weeks after working 40 years.

[bsnub]

The only place most Americans are welcome is in their own country.

Odd I never recall in all my days going someplace I felt unwelcome. But you keep thinking what you want tin foil boy.

[AntRobertson]

I've met some lovely Americans here, there, and everywhere whilst travelling. Some utter c**ty ones too. So pretty much the same as every other nationality.

One thing that has stuck out for me though is that it seems the majority I've met are either from the West Coast or New York / NY State. There have been exceptions, but mostly those two for some reason.

[bowie]

Is it true that Americans only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year?? 5.6 weeks a year in the UK.

The PAID aspect of any such holiday time off isn't guaranteed/mandatory in any American employment situation.

Less than 25% of the workforce have such a luxury.
Paid holiday, indeed.

The American companies have also learned from the recession. Learned how to do more with less. Providing the same output with fewer resources. Counting pennies, less vacation monies out. Realize that salaries are typically the greatest negative to the bottom line. You can't figure in the excessive administrative white collar salaries - they're exempted from the formula.

Recent work for a company that provided one week (5 days) vacation after one full year of work. Each additional year of work or seniority provides one additional week of vacation up to a maximum of 4 weeks (20 days) after five full years with the company.

Of course, since america went to the self-funded 401k retirement plans a company can get rid of senior personnel to keep costs low. (when we had pension plans there was some protection in an older person could argue unlawful discharge as an attempt to avoid paying a pension). The personal 401k carry it with you pension plan effectively eliminates that protection.

During the recession many, many, many of the higher paid senior employees were discharged, laid-off and/or forced into early retirement to cut expenses. Easy to replace the higher paid senior employees with newbies working for the lower starting wages.


The other aspect to this thread is that wages have remained fairly flat over the past decade or so although the cost-of-living has increased. Less disposable income.

[bsnub]

One thing that has stuck out for me though is that it seems the majority I've met are either from the West Coast or New York / NY State.

This map tells the tale. It shows states that are more liberal (Democrat) vs states that are more conservative (Republican). The blues states contain the people who are most likely to travel.