Travel Promotion Act

June 5, 2009

CBS News: Travel Promotion Act Aims to Create Thousands of New Jobs

Excerpt: “Legislation currently moving through Congress aims to create thousands of new jobs and stimulate the U.S. economy by attracting international tourists, at no cost to taxpayers. Called the Travel Promotion Act (TPA), the proposed bill would collect a $10 fee from travelers coming to the United States. Coupled with private contributions, these fees would fund a promotion campaign abroad to help attract international visitors.

Last month, the bill cleared a Senate sub-committee and it enjoys broad, bipartisan support. The House unanimously passed a similar bill last September, but due to the financial crisis the Senate never got around to voting on it (among the supporters were then-senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden).

Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of the bill's 22 co-sponsors, said it is one of the bills he plans to get through before the summer recess. If successful, the TPA could serve as an eleventh-hour stimulus for the U.S. travel industry where business is down and layoffs are up...According to the Department of Commerce, the United States saw an 8 percent decline in overseas tourists from 2000 to 2007, even with a favorable exchange rate and overall increases in international travel.

Other foreign governments market their countries to Americans as vacation getaways, but no U.S. equivalent exists abroad. For example, in 2005, various European Union governments spent a combined $800 million promoting themselves to tourists. The United States spent nothing.

Supporters of the Travel Promotion Act believe a successful promotion campaign abroad is a surefire way to boost the United States' reputation, explain security protocols and, of course, capitalize on tourism.”