Travel Promotion Act is Now Law
DALLAS - 4 March 2010 - President Obama signed the Travel
Promotion Act today which represents an enormous victory for the
exhibitions, meetings and travel industries. The legislation, led by the
lobbying efforts of the U.S. Travel Association and dozens of supporting
organizations, including IAEE, took almost three years to pass through
Congress.
“All IAEE members who visited Washington D.C., who talked with, wrote
and called their Congressional representatives and senators share in
this important victory,” says IAEE President Steven Hacker, CAE.
“Working in tandem with our partners across the industry ensured that
our messages were both heard and acted upon. It is now time to go about
the work of recapturing international market share for the business
travelers who are so important to our domestic trade shows and events.”
In the last decade, the U.S. lost substantial ground in the global
travel market to other nations. The economic loss to the nation is
estimated to be in excess of $500 billion USD. Now that the Travel
Promotion Act is law, the U.S. will have a source of travel promotion
support for the first time.
The Act creates a public-private Corporation for Travel Promotion that
will be supervised by the U.S. Department of Commerce and will also
interact with the Departments of State and Homeland Security. An
11-member board will be created representing a broad cross-section of
interests that depend upon international travelers. An executive
director will run the day-to-day operations of the corporation that will
create marketing and communications programs designed to attract more
international visitors.
No taxpayer dollars will be used to support the corporation. Funding
will be provided by both a new $10 fee that will be paid by foreign
travelers who are exempt from paying U.S. visa fees and private sector
contributions of $100 million USD annually.
In a related matter, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)
is currently conducting research with Oxford Economics to determine the
extent of economic losses to U.S.-based exhibitions arising from the
tardy processing or denial of U.S. visas to foreign nationals. Anecdotal
evidence suggests that the impact has been substantial. Results of the
ground-breaking research will provide additional tools with which to
modify U.S. visa and entry policies, thus enabling more business
travelers to attend exhibitions and similar events in the United States.
For more information about the Travel Promotion Act, visit
www.ustravel.org.
About IAEE
Established in 1928, the International Association of Exhibitions and
Events™ (IAEE) provides quality and value to its members through
leadership, service, education and strong relationships. IAEE is the
largest association of the exhibitions and events industry in the world,
with a membership of show organizers, exhibitors and exhibition
suppliers. Organizers of more than 20,000 exhibitions and buyer-seller
events around the world are members of IAEE. Through the 2006
consolidation with the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR),
IAEE delivers valuable industry research reports. IAEE also supports
IAEE Services, the IAEE Public Events Council, The International Center
for Exhibitor and Event Marketing, and the Exhibition and Event Industry
Audit Commission, which are IAEE councils that provide products,
programs and information to members. IAEE recognizes its strategic
partners: American Airlines, ASP, Inc., Bearcom, Mexico Tourism Board,
Orange County Convention Center and Orlando/Orange County Convention &
Visitors Bureau. Visit www.iaee.com
for more information.
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Contact:
Mary Tucker
Sr. PR/Communications Manager
+1 (972) 687-9226
mtucker@iaee.com |
