The U.S. Travel Association (formerly Travel Industry Association), today informed House and Senate leaders of its support for major provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and called for two additional measures to stimulate America's travel economy and protect 20 million U.S. jobs. U.S. Travel believes that welcoming more international visitors and increasing domestic travel by improving America's air travel system is fundamental to stimulating the American economy.

"Travel is a key to economic recovery," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "Travelers - international inbound and domestic - create millions of jobs and their spending permeates through the American economy."

Travel promotion would create jobs and new economic activity at no cost to the American taxpayer. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that a one-percent increase in the U.S. market share of world international travel would add $15 billion to the U.S. economy, $1.3 billion in new federal tax revenue and $1.1 billion in new state and local tax revenue. Without travel promotion, overseas travel to the United States is expected to decline by more than three percent in 2009 according to the Department of Commerce.

In addition to travel promotion and air travel improvements, U.S. Travel endorsed several tax, transportation infrastructure, public lands infrastructure and travel facilitation improvements in the bill.

Click here to view a copy of the letter.

Previously the Travel Industry Association, the U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $740 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel’s mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. U.S. Travel is proud to be a partner in travel with American Express. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.

Kristy Chandler
202.408.2172
U.S. Travel Association