The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (S. 1023) has been presented for cloture of debate in the U.S. Senate. The House has already approved it, so the bill will head to the President’s desk for his signature, if the Senate approves it.

The bill authorizes the setting up of an independent non-profit Travel Promotion Corporation which will be responsible for promoting the United States as a tourism destination.

The Corporation’s activities will be funded by a public-private partnership, with contributions from the travel industry matched by federal funds, upto $100 million. The federal funds will come from the $10 charge paid by international visitors from Visa Waiver countries under the newly implemented ESTA.

In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that the bill will reduce the U.S. federal budget deficit by $425 million over the next 10 years. And result in attracting 1.6 million new international visitors annually and create $4 billion in new spending, creating 40,000 new jobs.

Timeline of Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (S. 1023):-

• Introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) on May 12, 2009.
• Approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on May 20, 2009.
• Motion for cloture of debate by Senate on June 11, 2009.

Below is a statement from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) supporting the bill.

“I believe this legislation will help our economy to do better, to create jobs without any taxpayer expense. America has so much to offer our travelers: whether it is the mountains of Colorado or the beaches of Delaware or the stunning national landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, and the Statue of Liberty or the oceans, lakes, and rivers or our mountains, forests, and beaches or our scenic country towns or the bright lights of the big cities or centers of fun and entertainment such as Las Vegas or Disney World or Duluth.

This has always been a country that has opened its arms to people from around the world. That is why we are so great. We have to bring that back. We have to bring people in to visit this country.  The Travel Promotion Act will do just that. By boosting travel to the United States it will also give a boost to our economy. So it is a win-win for the tourism industry, for jobs for America, and for the American people.”

Posted on June 12th, 2009 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News