On March 4, President Obama signed into law the Travel Promotion Act, the first-ever national travel promotion and communications program designed to attract more international travelers to the U.S.
 |
President Obama approved the Travel Promotion Act. // (C) 2010 Photos.com |
“By signing the Travel Promotion Act, President Obama has acted to support the power of travel to serve as an economic stimulant, job generator and diplomatic tool,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “This program will create tens of thousands of American jobs and help reverse negative perceptions about travel to the U.S.”
The bill calls for the creation of the Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), which will be funded by a matching program that features up to $100 million in private sector contributions and a $10 fee on foreign travelers who do not pay $131 for a visa to enter the U.S. The fee will be collected every two years in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization, meaning that no funding would be required from U.S. taxpayers.
According to an independent analysis by Oxford Economics, the program could potentially attract as much as 1.6 million
additional foreign visitors annually, as well as generate more than $4 billion in consumer spending annually.
The CTP will also work closely with the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security and State to develop a nationally coordinated, multichannel marketing and communications program to attract more international visitors and explain changing travel security policies.
www.poweroftravel.org
