Legislative Agenda - Key Federal Tourism Research Programs Position Paper

OBJECTIVE
TIA is seeking increased funding for the In-Flight Survey – formally known as the Survey of International Air Travelers. Higher levels of investment in this research program will provide improved data that will enable U.S. destinations to significantly enhance their travel marketing and promotion to prospective international travelers.

BACKGROUND
The In-Flight Survey is a survey program managed by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) at the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is conducted monthly and surveys travelers on international flights to and from the U.S. The In-Flight Survey is the only source of original data produced by the federal government on international air travel to and from the U.S. It provides detailed information on international visitors' length of stay, places visited, level of spending, and activities during their stay. This data is used by the federal government to help calculate the impact international travel and tourism has on our economy, and is used to measure our tourism balance of trade. This survey is also the primary, and often sole, source of data used by the travel industry to market their particular destination to international travelers. Without the information from the In-Flight Survey, state, regional, and local destination marketing organizations will be unsure of which potential international travelers they should advertise to.

Because of limited federal funding, the number of processed surveys has been shrinking to dangerously low levels. Smaller sample sizes lessen the quality of the data and diminish the usefulness of the report for U.S. destinations. The largest sample size was in 1997 with 94,000 respondents. The smallest was in 1987 with 33,500 respondents. In 2004, about 70,000 travelers were surveyed. This is just over one-tenth of one percent (0.14%) of all international air travelers. OTTI's long-term goal is to be able to receive survey responses from 1% of all international air travelers.

CURRENT STATUS
The FY'05 funding level for the In-Flight Survey is expected to be approximately $1 million, or equal to last year's level. This amount would fund approximately 70,000 surveys. The Survey will continue to be supported out of general funds from the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration.

OUTLOOK
TIA will work with key Members of Congress in 2005 (FY'06) to secure a permanent increase in the base funding for the In-Flight Survey, while at the same time work with the U.S. Department of Commerce to begin the process of improving the survey itself as well as the method for distributing, collecting and processing the survey. TIA will ask for an earmarked increase in base to $5 million for the program, which can fund approximately 300,000 surveys