|
<< Back to all News
President Signs Travel Promotion Act
March 4, 2010
SEATTLE, WASH. – Today at 8:30 a.m. PST President Obama signed into law the landmark Travel Promotion Act which will establish a multi-million dollar, public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and increase inbound tourism.
The act will create a new Corporation for Travel Promotion that is modeled after successful state programs and those in other countries.
While the U.S. travel industry employs 7.7 million Americans and generates more than $740 billion in spending annually, its tourism market share has been threatened in recent years in the face of growing global competition and its own tough visitor entry requirements.
Once enacted, the Travel Promotion Act will be funded through a matching program featuring up to $100 million in private sector contributions and a $10 fee on foreign travelers. The fee will be collected once every two years in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization. No money is provided by U.S. taxpayers. According to independent analysis by Oxford Economics, the program could attract 1.6 million additional visitors from other countries and create more than $4 billion in consumer spending annually.
Last week, the Travel Promotion Act passed the U.S. Senate by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 18, following House passage in November.
“Until now, America has been one of the only civilized nations in the world that does not promote inbound international tourism,” said Tom Norwalk, SCVB President & CEO and a U.S. Travel Association board member. ”It is ironic that during the same week we celebrate this breakthrough national legislation, our own Washington State Legislature is contemplating a drastic de-funding of our state tourism program.”
Currently, tourism ranks fourth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) produced in Washington state. Each year, visitors spend $14.2 billion, support nearly 150,000 jobs and contribute nearly $1 billion in local and state tax revenues.
Last month, hundreds of statewide tourism industry professionals convened in Olympia to meet with legislators and explain why tourism matters to Washington state. The industry agenda included support of continued funding of the state tourism program, use of existing funds to continue studies on the proposed expansion of the Washington State Convention Center and opposition to House and Senate bills that would raid and dilute local lodging tax funds that have traditionally served as critical reinvestment in the state’s tourism industry.
Washington state’s core of private sector destination marketing organizations launched a first-ever industry advocacy campaign called Why Tourism Matters last year. Visit the campaign website at www.whytourismmatters.com.
About Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau:
Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau is a non-profit economic development agency responsible for competitively marketing Seattle as a destination for meeting and convention groups and leisure travelers. As a membership-based organization, SCVB connects more than 800 local businesses with the lucrative visitor market. Some 9.3 million visitors spend $5.14 billion in Seattle and King County annually, contributing $471 million in state and local tax revenues. Direct visitor spending benefits hotels, retailers, restaurants, attractions, transportation services and other businesses, and supports jobs for more than 63,000 people in the Seattle region.
For further information, please contact:
David Blandford, Vice President, Communications | 206.461.5806
Heather Bryant, Public Relations Manager | 206.461.5805
<< Back to all News
|
