Immediately after this year's general election, TIA sent a "Special Election '04 Edition" to its Travel Industry Advocates Network (TIAN) members. A supplement to the government affairs-focused Window on Washington, the special edition described the impact of Senate, House and Presidential races on our industry's goals in the "lame duck session" and forthcoming 109th Congress. Also covered were the change in Senate Democratic leadership, action on appropriations, highway and 9/11 recommendations bills. An outlook on the President's second term was offered.

TIA praised the U.S. Department of State for an addition to its new travel Web site that improves service to visa applicants. State recently created a Web page that announces on a city-by-city basis how long it is likely to take for a visa applicant to get an interview. "When fully implemented this will be a tremendous help to international travelers," TIA President & CEO William S. Norman commented. "Accurate information inspires confidence and confidence should make the U.S. a more attractive destination." The travel industry had asked State to publish the wait time information. Norman also called the new Web page a "good government initiative" explaining that openness about wait times should further improve service.

During a luncheon briefing on government security deadlines for an influential group of reporters, TIA announced a new worldwide information initiative. With new security requirements pending within weeks, TIA will leverage all of its U.S. and overseas resources to inform travelers about how the new security measures will affect them. "We're pleased that Congress and the Administration are implementing new security rules in ways that improve security while also promoting inbound travel," TIA's Elyse Wander (pictured), senior vice president, Public Affairs & Member Programs, told reporters. "TIA's biggest priority now is getting the word out around the globe to make sure travelers understand the changes." News organizations represented at the briefing included The New York Times, Gannett, Reuters, United Press International, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Travel Agent and Travel Weekly.

Twenty-one TIA members marched to Capitol Hill February 26th to lobby Members of Congress and their staffs on a number of travel industry concerns. TIA set up the Congressional meetings and briefed participants on the issues and on how to effectively lobby Congress. TIA Public Affairs Committee Chair Adam Goldstein, executive vice president, Royal Caribbean International, introduced Senator Bill Nelson of Florida to speak during a luncheon at the Capitol that also served as a debriefing for the group's successful efforts. Issues raised with Members of Congress included a new requirement for biometric information on visitors' passports, federal support for marketing the U.S. as an international travel destination and federal highway funding legislation.