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Fewer overseas visitors to U.S.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- New U.S. Department of Commerce figures show further decline in overseas visitors, which the travel industry blames on increased U.S. security.

The total number of foreign visitors to the United States in 2006 was 51 million, just a shade under the figure for 2000. But that recovery is because of a rise in the number of visitors from Canada and Mexico. The numbers of visitors from overseas continues to lag pre-Sept. 11, 2001 figures by 17 percent, according to the Discover America Partnership -- a travel industry lobby group.

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"We have lost nearly 60 million international travelers since Sept. 11 and the problem is only getting worse," said Geoff Freeman, executive director of the partnership, in a statement Friday.

"It is time for Congress to address this growing problem in a way that both strengthens our security and improves the efficiency of the travel process," said Freeman.

The figures show that overseas travel to the United States remains below pre-Sept. 11, 2001 levels in six of the top eight overseas markets, and continued to fall in five of them.

A 2006 survey of overseas travelers conducted by the partnership found negative perceptions of the U.S. border and immigration regime to be the greatest deterrent to visiting the country.

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