Obama's plan could help U.S. gain back its share of the global tourism market, Stephen Sadove, chief executive officer at Saks Inc., said in an emailed statement. The New York-based luxury department store could see quick surges in business at its gateway city locations such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago locations, he said.

“Currently, the process is very difficult for citizens from countries such as China, Brazil and India to obtain tourist visas,” Sadove said. “Additional tourists in the U.S. would lead to increased revenues in retailing and hospitality.”

The sagging dollar has also attracted foreign tourists to the U.S. as they seek to buy clothing and jewelry on the cheap, French said.

“Demand for U.S. visas from Brazil, China and India have spiked immensely as these economies boom,” French said in a telephone interview. “This is a winning situation for retailers because a key reason overseas visitors want to come is to shop.”

Eoin Treacy's view The Shanghai Expo in 2010 illustrated just how eager most of Europe is to attract Chinese tourists. Most exhibits were focused on each country's tourist appeal and Italy in particular was notable for displaying a giant shoe. Median incomes continue to rise in the world's population centres and international travel is an increasingly popular pastime. The comparative weakness of the US Dollar means there has seldom been a more attractive time to visit the USA and it makes sense to appeal as much as possible to nascent consumers wishing to spend a shopping holiday in one's country.

This report “Asia-Pacific Online Travel Report 2011” from eStatsIndia.com kindly forwarded by a subscriber highlights the global tourist market from an India perspective and may be of interest to subscribers.