For those who would like to come to the United States to study or for a brief visit, the "land of the free" is not seen in such idyllic terms.

According to a coalition of travel industry experts worried about current trends, the world perceives America as a fairly forbidding fortress. Nobody crosses the drawbridge without enduring an obstacle course in pursuit of the mandatory, but elusive, visa.

Of course, homeland security concerns in the post-Sept. 11 era complicate matters. But some barriers predate that event and are unnecessary.

Overseas travel to the United States has dropped 17 percent since 2001, which worries industry and government leaders.

The industry coalition Discover America Partnership has proposed that Congress update the "antiquated" visa program and enact changes aimed at making short-term visits more attractive.

Promising ideas include using teleconferencing, Internet technology and increased staffing to cut visa processing time to 30 days.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Senate commerce committee, acknowledged the problem and vowed to sell it as a priority to states less reliant on tourism.

The issue threatens more than just tourism; it also affects other economic sectors.

Some of the harsher rules have discouraged students from entering the country — students who have contributed to America's entrepreneurial momentum.

Among the coalition's recommendations is an expansion of the visa-waiver program. In Hawai'i, that idea has become a refrain for the Korean business community.

The Republic of Korea has close alliances with the United States, and merits the same waiver from visa rules that Japan and other countries enjoy.

South Korea's government must cooperate in reducing the number of visitors overstaying visas, which has been cited as an obstacle to extending the visa-waiver program.

But making U.S. entry less onerous, while maintaining security, is a worthwhile goal and one that seems to have a growing chorus of support.