Travel: Visitors from Abroad

At 8:30 in the morning, a chauffeur-driven Ford Motor Co. car pulled up in front of the Detroit-Leland Hotel, picked up the Indian visitor, and whisked him off to a tour of Ford’s sprawling River Rouge plant, then on to United Auto Workers Local 600. “I’ve been driving for Ford for 23 years.” the chauffeur candidly admitted to his passenger. “But this is the first time I’ve ever taken anyone to a union hall.”

It probably will not be the last. Aware of the interest of the foreign tourist in the industrial U.S., the auto industry is opening its doors wide. Last year 11,000 visitors from 89 countries were shown through River Rouge. “They want to know what they are going to be allowed to see,” says one Ford executive. “The American usually only wants to know how long the tour is going to take.” Biggest surprise to all the foreigners: the acres of cars in the parking lots all belong to the workers.

Stamp or Pass? The auto industry’s hand of welcome to foreign tourists is symbolic of the changing attitude of the U.S. toward travelers from abroad. The 450,000 foreigners visiting the U.S. this year are still only a trickle compared with the flood of 2,000,000 Americans who will wander over foreign countries, but tourism from abroad shows every sign of increasing. Foreigners still bitterly complain of the U.S.’s visa restrictions (no countries in Western Europe have them) and the embarrassing questions asked them by customs officials. “One of them asked me my sexual proclivities.” says one French student. “I didn’t know if it was a question or a proposition, so I got out of there as quickly as possible.'” Overseas visitors find only a few good directories in foreign languages listing tourist sights, hotel and restaurant prices, plane, train and bus facilities. The language obstacle is a formidable barrier to surmount, surpassed only by high prices.

But gradually the U.S. is beginning to beckon foreigners. Last week President Kennedy signed into law a bill establishing a U.S. Travel Service that will offer advice on places to visit, speed up entry and visa procedures. U.S. airlines are pushing for more low-fare package tours: the Flying Tiger Line offers a $99 round-trip excursion air fare between Europe and the U.S. for Europeans only.

Strange Customs. In Manhattan foreign travelers are surprised to find that they can buy cheap, nourishing meals at coffee shops and cafeterias. But this is not for every taste. “You can get a bit tired of hamburgers and milk shakes,” said one vacationing Briton. French wine connoisseurs are dismayed to find that so many good French vintages wind up in the U.S. But an even more disturbing discovery is often in store. One Frenchman ordered a vintage red Burgundy with his dinner in a Denver restaurant, to his horror saw the waiter serve it chilled. Other native customs prove unsuspected traps. Male tourists accustomed to leaving their shoes outside their hotel room doors for a free shine, find them still there grubby and dusty in the morning—if they find them at all.

But there are compensations. Some tourists develop into night owls, fascinated to find shops, bars and coffee shops open until near dawn. One Indian journalist stated unequivocally that the U.S.’s greatest contribution to modern times is free matches. “Every place else in the world, you have to buy them from government monopolies.” he said. “Here they come sliding out of cigarette machines even if the cigarettes don’t.” Bargain-hunting French students have discovered the free samples and trial offers in U.S. magazines. “My second day in Boston. I bought a dozen magazines, clipped out all the coupons, and mailed them all in.” says one. Among his samples: one Japanese-made cigarette lighter, three packets of postage stamps on approval, several collections of immodestly clad women.

Friendly Natives. The engaging friendliness of most people in the U.S. never fails to amaze foreign tourists. A Manhattan cab driver drove one Dutch couple around New York with his meter shut down because “I want to show you a city I’m proud of. If you took the trouble to come over here, I can take the trouble to show you some of the city.” Driving through Alabama, a German tourist with German plates on his car noticed that he was being tagged by an American car. The car finally pulled up alongside of him, and the driver asked: “Are you all real Germans? I was a soldier in Germany, and I’ve always wanted to introduce my wife to a German. Do you mind?”

Manhattan now seems to appall more often than it pleases. Tourists, who gobble up goods at Macy’s, profess to find the city cold and overwhelming. On the West Coast foreigners prefer Disneyland to Hollywood. “You really should have let Khrushchev go to Disneyland,” said one Scot. “He probably would still be there if you had.” Another great Russian favorite is the tomb of Rudolph Valentino. Still high on every foreigner’s list: the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and the elaborate curlicue highway system. For the sociologically minded, Negro districts are a must. One tourist guide in San Francisco now makes a point of stopping poorly dressed Negroes in the street to ask directions. “I always get a polite reply,” she says. “I think that this does a lot to correct wrong impressions that many visitors have about the U.S.”

Staggered by the sheer size of the U.S., most foreign tourists are aware that they can do little more than skim the surface.

“The beauty and the number of natural and technological marvels surpass belief,” says one French tourist. “But the diversity and variety of America may indeed be a handicap. The one thing that I missed here, and which most Europeans miss, is a sense of intimacy.” Most visitors hope to save such sights as Texas, Las Vegas and the Pacific Northwest for a second trip. With “Visit the U.S.” now a government policy, they should get the chance.