House passes travel bill

The U.S. Travel Promotion Act is awaiting a final vote in the Senate after approval by the U.S. House of Representatives Oct. 7.  The legislation would establish the first federal convention and visitors bureau, the Corporation for Travel Promotion, as an independent nonprofit corporation to promote the United States as a destination and explain U.S. security policies to visitors.

“As the recent vote of the International Olympic Committee demonstrated, the United States must invest in better explaining its security policies and attracting foreign travelers,” says Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The Travel Promotion Act is a ‘win-win’ for our economic and diplomatic efforts.”

Not everyone agrees. The act is funded in part by travelers who enter the United States from visa-waiver countries. Critics contend that by imposing fees on travelers applying for travel to the U.S., the bill amounts to a tax on tourists that could make foreigners less inclined to visit the U.S. and possibly result in similar fees for travel to Europe.

According to Oxford Economics, once it is enacted into law, the program is expected to create 40,000 U.S. jobs, drive $4 billion in new consumer spending and reduce the federal budget deficit by $425 million in the next 10 years.