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Is returning to original country to be counted as a visit?
12 April, 2007 - 19:27 
teodoro128
teodoro128
I've noticed that some members include returning home from abroad as a another country visited. This incidentally alter greatly their "statistics". Is this correct? Actually, as the site is called passportstamp and I do not get my document stamped when I return to my Country, I have counted Italy only once.
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PassportStamp - the site where you can create your personalized travel maps and see who has visited each of the world's countries
Number of Entries in Travel Record
Hello there
We count the number of visits simply as the number of entries you make in your travel record. Some people change 'home' country, so we've included all visits in the count. Good point though - we'll think about whether we include visits to your home country in the statistics..
I personally only count my
I personally only count my native country once.
Michael
www.hinghamweather.com
I only count my home country
I only count my home country once as well. As my About Me states, I lived in a Canada/US border city and though I crossed probably 10-30 times per year, I only count it as one crossing per year.
Is returning to original country to be counted as a visit?
It very much depends on the purpose of the information you put on there.
I was about to create a website with all of my travel memories of over 20 years and still no urge to settle down. I had simply forgotten a lot of what I had done ... so have sat down meticulously to plot my travels over that period of time; statistics don't interest me as a 'Hey, look where I've been?' My forgotten memories have returned.
I have included the UK, my home country recently, as I no longer live there so count it as a visit, but you'll notice on my map where I started to do this i.e. when I no longer considered it to be home! I do go there for visits, usually at Xmas or for visits! But if home countries are removed it is fine by me!!
I'm more interested in looking at the world map and plotting new trips, which I've never been able to do so easily before - interactively!!
Thanks for setting up the site and for saving me all of that time I was going to spend on the website ... I will just upload my travel record from here and spend more time planning!!
JB
Flight Crew
Some of these stats are WAY out of wack!! kiwiflyer (I think that was the name) had 500 'visits' and it looks like every return to NZ was counted.
IMHO those trips that are airline job related are all 'in transit' and don't really count. Yeah, they may have a passport plastered cover to cover in ink stamps. Just because you stayed at the hotel the airline paid for, you shouldn't expect be allowed the stats to be all messed up for those of us who have jobs on the ground!! Airline employees spend enough time flying over our heads than to allow their work 'hops' to help them climb to the top of the member list!!
Can you add a field in the database that would ask if you are in the airline industry? That way we can see who are over inflating their VISIT reports!!!
Edward Ross,
Victoria, BC,
Canada
Lets Not Stop at Just Flight Crew
I think you are onto something Edward. Those Flight Crew and Pilots are always over inflating their worldliness. Just because they do visit so many countries, how can they count it when they only stopover for 24 - 72hrs? This is deadly serious stuff and it needs to be stopped.
I would also like to suggest that other categories are named as part of the registration process.
- Anyone in the travel industry (especially tour leaders).
- Truck drivers that do cross-continent deliveries.
- People that live within 10km of an international border. These people are always jumping over the border for a bite to eat.
- Anyone that lives in Luxembourg or the Vatican City (you only have to step out your front door and you are in another country).
- People involved in illegal cross-border trades (ie: international drug dealers, people smuggling, money launderers, gun-runners).
- Refugees (they can't count as they usually don't have passports).
- International business people for the same rationale as flight crew.
- Politicians (if they can lie about the state of the country, they will have no qualms lying about their travels).
- Lawyers, QC's, judges etc... (see above).
- Anyone competing in one of those reality TV shows where they have to race around the world.
- People who own or with access to private jets.
- Those guys who solo in hot air balloons / ultralights / yachts / row boats etc... and are trying to get into the Guinness Book of Records.
Can I also suggest that Americans receive double points. I find it commendable that they choose to leave their own country when it is just "so damn good".
Due Diligence
Having given this some considerable thought over the past few minutes, I am actually disappointed that the crew at passportstamp.com didn't apply some due diligence to prevent opportunists on this site. Why are there no simple measures in place to prevent people over-inflating their travel statistics? I am with you Edward of BC, Canada.
I have a few simple suggestions that they might want to consider for future site upgrades. It is a concept predominantly based around supporting documentation that I learnt from great institutions such as HQ United Nations and the European Parliament. There may be a slight increase in administrative burden, however, I think you will all agree it is worthwhile to maintain the integrity of this site.
All travel entries must be accompanied with:
- a copy of the relevant passport page clearly showing the stamp. This must be notarized or "certified true copy" by your Embassy or Consulate in the visited country (this deals with the refugees and some of the illegal cross-border traders that use speedboats and small engine planes).
- if there is no stamp, a statutory declaration from you stating all details of the trip including dates, places visited and accommodation utilized. This must be supported by a statement by the Minister of Immigration of the visited country, outlining that their was not a requirement to stamp your passport (this sorts out the liars from the people who take this seriously).
- a copy of the boarding pass, bus / boat / flight ticket or any other means of conveyance. Notarized of course by the carrier's representative (strike.....truck drivers, border dwellers, Luxemburgians, Vatican Cityites, private jet owners, hot balloonists et al).
- proof of purchase of the ticket with personal funds. Bank and credit card statements should suffice provided they are accompanied with an authenticity letter from the bank (politicians, reality tv contestants and business travelers..........out).
- proof that you have paid full fare. Cross check between statement above, validation by the ticket salesperson and the fare-list for the carrier (thats you people in the travel industry covered).
- proof that personal funds have not been gained through illegal means. A supporting letter from the CEO / GM of your company would be appropriate with a copy of the company business license (thats the rest of you illegal traders and most people from the legal profession).
- a letter from the relevant judicial headquarters stating that you have not been found guilty of, or that it is beyond reasonable doubt, that you have never lied or committed perjury (i just through that in for the rest of the legal profession).
If you agree with these simple (yet necessary) measures, please show your support with a simple "agreed". My vision, is that this thread becomes a petition to rival the great historical petitions ie: Free Paris Hilton, indict GW Bush etc.
I am also interested in any other suggestions to close the loop-holes.
Home once
All of my travel has been purely self financed leisure travel. Some in pursuit of hobby or sporting pastimes others for the cultural side. Having left my home country well over 200 times my trip stat would be astronomical. Being a non smoking teetotaller it would been even higher if I'd undertaken booze cruises to France.
Count home country once only.
Spot on mate!
Spot on mate!
Flight crew
BTW I am not flight crew or an airline employee and never have been.
Analization of the actual site
relax people...this is not a contest...who the hell cares how people record their own personal travel data. Perhaps the record it to keep a record, maybe they wanna look "cool" and "well traveled", perhaps the just wanna keep up with their friends. What, REALLY, does it matter....you are all taking this WAY too seriously.
As for the home country visits thing...I think this subjects been done to death already in a previous forum on this site:::
I don't actually live in my home country and haven't for some time, so for me, every visit now is more like a trip...no different then flying to Holland or Peru. But I am sure it will still upset some people who are getting just a little bit too anal about what this site is actually for (or what THEY think it SHOULD be for and HOW it should be run, policed and administrated.
Besides, if you wanna look cooler then everyone else, get off your ass and travel some more
hahahahha
classic
love your work