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The impacts on airlines were immediate and publicized widely.
However, another result of the attacks that hasn't received quite as much publicity is their impact on the ability of foreigners to visit the US due to stricter screening requirements.
Consequently, many foreigners are now having a much harder time getting the visas they need to enter the US.
The resulting impacts on the US travel and tourism industry has been called the "Lost Decade".
According to officials with the U.
S.
Travel Association, meeting in Las Vegas May 17-19 for the Global Travel and Tourism Summit, the increased security since 9/11 has had a definite negative impact on foreign travel to the US, to the tune of about half a billion dollars.
While a number of countries have friendly relations with the US that don't require a face-to-face meeting with a visa officer before permission is granted to enter the US, it's still a requirement for citizens of such countries as India, China and Brazil.
The wait time to receive a tourist visa can be 100 days or longer now, up from about sometimes just a week or two before the terrorist attacks.
Additionally, visa applicants are more likely to be turned down now.
The impact of the increased time for visa applications and refusals doesn't just impact tourists who are sightseeing in the US.
It also has a definite impact on visitors who want to attend or exhibit at conventions and shows such as the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
In addition to lost revenue, the U.
S.
Travel Association cites lost jobs in the tourism and travel industry, as well as lost jobs in popular tourist destinations.
Can anything be done to turn around the US travel industry's "Lost Decade"? A recent announcement by Janice Jacobs, assistant secretary of the US Bureau of Consular Affairs, points to recognition of the problem.
Ms.
Jacobs noted that the visa process for foreign visitors, particularly citizens of India, China and Brazil, is inefficient.
The bureau is beginning a 20-year program designed to improve the system that awards visas to foreign visitors to the US.
The issue is also being raised in the US Congress, as legislators recognize that, while security measures are important, making it extremely difficult for many foreign visitors to enter the US is not in the country's best interest.
While it will take time, tourism officials and legislators are working to come up with a solution that makes the US a preferred destination for foreign visitors while still maintaining needed levels of security.
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