TIA Position Papers - International Destination Marketing

OBJECTIVE
Establish a public-private partnership (long-term and sustained) to promote travel to and within the United States through Congressional passage of the "Travel Revitalization and American Values Expansion Legislative Act" (TRAVEL Act), or some similar legislation.

BACKGROUND
International travel to the U.S. is a vital par of our nation's economy. International visitors account for nearly one million jobs and approximately $80 billion in spending annually. Inbound international visitation levels declined significantly for two years following the attacks on September 11, 2001. U.S. market share of global travel had already been declining since 1998 and was only exacerbated by the events of 9/11. While international travel to the U.S. did finally begin to increase in 2004, this was due chiefly to the weak U.S. dollar.

Until very recently, the United States was the only industrialized Western nation without a federally-funded international tourism marketing office or program, placing it at a severe disadvantage in the competitive global arena. TIA is delighted that Congress, under the leadership of Senator Ted Stevens (Alaska), initially allocated $50 million in early 2003 to promote travel to the U.S. Subsequently, this amount was reduced to $6 million. At the close of last year's session, Congress appropriated an additional $10 million for international travel promotion – once again, with the leadership of Senator Stevens.

Because those $6 million and $10 million appropriations were one-time events, TIA continues to work cooperatively with other industry organizations to draft legislation to create a long-term and sustained public-private partnership to brand, position and promote the U.S. as the world's premier travel destination. This partnership would create a program to encourage international visitors to travel to and within the United States as a means of sharing American values and ideals with international travelers, and for the purpose of creating more U.S. jobs and increasing tax revenues. This program seeks to boost overall international travel to the U.S. as a whole, with the private sector and destination marketing organizations competing to encourage travel by visitors to particular destinations or resorts/attractions within the country.

CURRENT STATUS
Working closely with other leading travel industry associations and companies, TIA is drafting legislation to authorize a long-term public-private international destination marketing program. With the convening of the 109th Congress, industry representatives will soon begin to meet with key offices on Capitol Hill to discuss the draft legislation.

OUTLOOK
When appropriate, TIA will work to have the TRAVEL Act (or similar legislation) introduced in Congress in 2005, and will coordinate with other industry organizations in lobbying for its passage.