Press Release

Visit USA Seminar in Zurich
March 22, 2005

Pictured with Ambassador Pamela P. Willeford in the center are Kim Weissman and Matthew Coughlin from the Department of Homeland Security’s US Visit Program.

On February 28, Ambassador Willeford delivered welcoming remarks for the two-day Visit USA Seminar, held in Zurich. She noted that Swiss travel to the U.S. increased by 15% last year to reach 265,000 travelers and that the seminar will help to sustain growth in travel to the U.S. Organized by Commercial Service Switzerland in cooperation with the Swiss Visit USA Committee, the travel/tourism promotion featured 52 U.S. states, cities and travel services with exhibits and related workshops for 267 Swiss travel trade representatives. At the seminar, U.S. Embassy Bern’s consular, homeland security and commercial sections worked jointly to address concerns about travel to the United States. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Visit Program were on hand to counsel travel agents about U.S. entry procedures and to demonstrate finger-scanning equipment.