How not to attract overseas visitors!

Recently we have seen two prime examples of how to really confuse and naff off visitors to your country.

Firstly there was Florida - who took a decision which meant that any overseas visitors needed an international driving permit to drive there - and brought it into force on the 1st January 2013.

Without an IDP, a driver is therefore driving without a valid licence. If stopped, law enforcement has the options of:

• Arresting the driver and taking them to jail
• Or giving the driver a citation with a mandatory court appearance

However this ran into trouble  - partly as overseas visitors were totally unaware of the ruling and therefore arrive in the State without a permit - bring car hire stations to their knees - and partly as it broke the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic.  The State has now said that although the law remains on the statute books it will not be enforced. However this law still exists and bodies such as the AA strongly advises that you should obtain an IDP if you intend to drive in Florida before the possible repeal of the law in March.

Crazy huh! - More information at  Florida suspends enforcement of International Driving Permit rule

And then the Balearics joined in their New Eco-Tax on Car Hire in Balearics in what seems a crazy way to attract the type of visitors you want to your island. Car hirers, demographically, are wealthier than the average traveller - so you would think they are the last people Ibiza, Menorca and Majorca would want to drive away, but as the article by our correspondent +Andrew Daniel says that is what's currently on the cards!


One does wonder about politicians at times!