By JAMES FINK
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

One year after implementation of tougher border-crossing regulations in the United States and Canada, a report suggests the worst-case fears of tourism and hospitality representatives in both countries are proving true.

A tourism study conducted by the Binational Economic and Tourism Alliance found that new requirements for documentation - a passport, Nexus card or enhanced driver's license - have created a stumbling block for people crossing into either country.

The study is the first part of a two-pronged review by the binational alliance. An economic-impact study will be conducted this summer, with results due to be released in the fall.

A survey of 400 U.S. residents found that 45 percent said identification requirements were the primary reason they did not travel to Canada in the past year.

And 31 percent of Canadians surveyed pointed to the same reason for choosing not to travel to the United States.

"This is not a good-news story," said Arlene White, alliance executive director.

"At the same time, we have to accept that WHTI (the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) is not going to change. The question is: Now how do we move forward?" White said.

Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the economy played a larger role in the decrease in cross-border traffic than ID requirements.

White agreed that the economy was a factor, as were the weather and H1N1 health concerns.

"At the top of the list is WHTI," she said. "It definitely had an impact."

There are other factors, as well - especially for residents in Western New York. They include the perception of long waits at bridge crossings.

For U.S. residents, 29 percent said wait time at one of the bridges was tops among the secondary reasons for not traveling to Canada.

Approximately 32 percent of the Canadian respondents said bridge tie-ups were at the top of their list for not wanting to cross into Erie or Niagara counties.

Officials from the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, which operates the Rainbow, Whirlpool and Lewiston-Queenston bridges, said the expansion of the Canadian plaza along the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge may alleviate some of those long lines.

The next phase of the plaza expansion is due to be completed in early 2011.

"This gives us a local snapshot," White said.

"Every time you hear a horror story about people waiting in line to cross one of the bridges, it has a huge ripple effect in the community," she said.