We’ve already written about how new passport laws are hurting tourism to Canada. However, it seems that our neighbors to the north are not the only ones feeling the pinch as the result of the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

According to the Arizona Republic, the new passport regulations are also hurting tourism south of the border, the icing on the cake of what was already a less-than-stellar tourism year.  The swine flu panic and a sour economy had already impacted travel, but the passport requirement is keeping out Americans who would otherwise be willing and able to travel across the border.

Agencies that provide travel services for Americans traveling to Mexico have experienced a drop in business, as have auto insurance companies that provide insurance for Americans driving across the border.  Yes, making sure you have a valid passport can be a little bit of a hassle, but there’s an incentive to get your passport application in.

As Mexico struggles to recover from the rough tourism season, hotel and resort owners are trying to cut their losses, seeking to attract customers by any means necessary-even if it means slashing prices. The article in the Arizona Republic quotes travel agent Debbie Winnie as saying that prices on many all-inclusive packages have been discounted up to half off!

To take advantage of these deals, you need to get your passport application in now. Currently, it takes at least 6 weeks from the day you apply for your new passport to arrive in the mail. If you apply with the government’s expedited processing, you could still find yourself waiting 3 weeks or longer.

Getting a passport is much faster and less of a hassle when you use a private passport expediting company. An expediting company will provide clear, easy-to-understand instructions on how to fill out your passport application and rush it directly to the US State Department for faster processing. With an expediting company, your application could be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Now is a great time to go to Mexico. Don’t miss out-get your passport application in today!