Travel Promotion Act

Overview
Nearly every developed nation in the world promotes itself as a travel destination. In fact, many countries spend tens of millions of dollars on such promotion as a way to strengthen their economies and public diplomacy efforts. These countries are competing with America for overseas travelers, yet the United States spends nothing to keep up. The Travel Promotion Act currently being considered by Congress, sponsored by Senators Dorgan and Ensign in the Senate (S. 1023) and Representatives Delahunt and Blunt in the House (H.R. 1299), would allow the United States to establish a multi-million dollar promotion program to compete on the global stage for the billions of dollars and immeasurable goodwill that would come with additional overseas travelers.  

Outlook – Bill Passed Congress on 2.25.10
The Travel Promotion Act has passed the U.S. Congress with strong bipartisan support! The Senate-passed bill has now been sent to the President for enactment within 10 days. This legislation calls for an overseas travel promotion program that is projected to yield millions of new visitors, $4 billion in new economic stimulus, 40,000 new American jobs and $320 million in new federal tax revenue. The Congressional Budget Office reports that the bill will reduce the deficit by $425 million and increase revenues by $135 million over the next 10 years. The bill is funded - at no cost to the American taxpayer – by a $10 fee paid by overseas visitors to the United States and matching funds from the U.S. private travel sector. A prior version of the bill passed the House of Representatives in 2008.

Global Overseas Travel Grows While America Loses Visitors		Other Countries Compete for U.S. Visitors, While America Sits on the Sidelines
Travel Promotion Needed to Counter Negative Impressions of U.S. Entry Experience		Newspapers from Coast to Coast Endorse the Travel Promotion Act