According to U.S. media reports, 4 U.S. federal senators recently introduced a bipartisan bill proposing to grant residents of regions such as Hong Kong and Macau up to 90 days of visa-free travel, stating that this move would boost the U.S. tourism industry and create job opportunities.
A press briefing issued by the office of Illinois Republican Senator Mark Kirk stated that four bipartisan senators—Republicans Kirk and Mike Lee of Utah, and two Democrats, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota—jointly introduced the “Subnational Visa Waiver Program Act”(Subnational Visa Waiver Program Act), proposing to grant residents of certain regions up to 90 days of visa-free travel. The regions proposed to receive this visa-free treatment include Hong Kong and Macau in China, as well as multiple British territories, including Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The “Subnational Visa Waiver Program Act” asserts that this move will help improve the competitiveness of the United States in the global tourism market. For example, the combined population of Hong Kong and Macau exceeds 7.5 million, and business opportunities in these two regions have long been overlooked by the United States. Federal Department of Commerce data shows that an estimated 86.8 million outbound trips are expected from Hong Kong in 2014, but only 132,400 travelers intend to visit the United States. Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Macau passports have already received visa-free status from Canada, the European Union, and over 100 countries.
Kirk pointed out that expanding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) would mean increasing U.S. economic growth and creating countless jobs in the United States. He noted that the average foreign tourist spends $4,300 per visit to the U.S., and the tourism industry supported 132,000 jobs in Chicago alone, contributing over $800 million in tax revenue to the city in 2012. He stated: “A secure expansion of the VWP is of great significance to our country and the state of Illinois.” Senator Mike Lee also noted that this reform would help encourage more tourists to visit the U.S. and boost economic activity.
According to the latest news from the Worldway Group Hong Kong office: As of March 25, 2014, the number of countries and regions that grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders has reached 150.
