News Coverage

March 11, 2008
The Washington Post
Where Have All the Tourists Gone?
by Cindy Loose

The travel industry is focusing on solving the problem. Legislation called the "Travel Promotion Act" is currently being considered in Congress. Under the act, visitors from "visa waiver" countries -- in other words, visitors from places that we don't require to pay for a visa -- would pay a fee, probably about $10, to the U.S. government when visiting. That would raise an estimated $100 million. The travel industry would match that, and the $200 million would be used to promote travel to the United States. The United States, by the way, is one of the rare countries that doesn't have a national tourism program.

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Editorials

December 14, 2007
Newsday
Editorial: Advertise U.S. to world tourists
by

"Now, contrast New York's efforts to what the nation is doing: zero. The result is sad, a 17 percent decline in international tourism since 2001. That's why Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) is pushing the Travel Promotion Act of 2007. So is McGowan. So is the Travel Industry Association of America. So are the major chain hotels.

"The bill would create The Corporation for Travel Promotion, a nonprofit organization, to market the United States abroad. It will help in two ways. First, it will bring in dollars. International tourists stay longer and spend more than domestic tourists. Second, once they come and see the actual United States, as opposed to our nation's sadly declining overseas image, international tourists tend to like us more."

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http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vptop145499760dec14,0,27539.story

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Op-eds

January 19, 2008
"Nation Needs Program to Lure Foreign Travelers," The Examiner, by Roger Dow by

November 2, 2007
"As Good As Advertised," The Hill, by Reps. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) and Jon Porter (R-Nev.) by

October 2, 2007
"As Good As Advertised," The Hill, by Reps. Bill Delahunt and Jon Porter

September 30, 2007
9/11 Is Over, by Thomas L. Friedman

July 23, 2006
"Draw More Tourists to America to Improve U.S. Reputation," by Jonathan Tisch and Roger Dow by

July 19, 2006
"U.S. Image Abroad? Take It Personal," by Jonathan Tisch and Roger Dow