Tourists are heading to the United States for their holidays this summer because of cheaper visa and other costs compared to Europe and East Asian countries, said travel and tourism officials. It is also easier to get a visa for the US. Sami Al-Abdulhadi, a travel official, said 70 percent of bookings were for flights to the United States. He said since last March the US embassy has reduced the period for visas from about four months to a mere seven to 21 days. In addition, travelers can get long-term visas for five years regardless of the status of the passport. According to Abdulhadi, Saudi families prefer the USbecause the cost of living is reasonable compared to Europe. It is 40 to 50 percent less. Getting a visa for a European country also takes longer and the visa is for only six months the first time. This is in addition to an interview. France, however, spares an applicant the interview in exchange for higher visa fees. However, the applicant gets the visa for the period he or she wants the second time. __
