Obama was set to sign the bill promoting travel to the U.S. at 11:35 am eastern. The bill (read it here) will set up a U.S. travel promotion hub, paid for by a $10 fee on visitors and private donations. It doesn't cost taxpayers a cent.
The Travel Promotion Act calls for a nonprofit Corporation for Travel Promotion that will promote the United States as a travel destination and explain travel and security policies to international visitors.The travel industry is pleased:
"This is a historic victory for the U.S. economy and one in eight American workers whose jobs depend on travel," Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement.
President Obama is expected to sign the bill, which the Senate passed 78-18 Thursday, in the next 10 days, according to the travel association.
A $10 fee charged to visitors from countries included in the Visa Waiver Program will partially fund the public-private organization. These visitors will pay the fee every two years when they register online using the Department of Homeland Security's Electronic System for Travel Authorization. CNN
The Travel Promotion Act has been passed by both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in this session of Congress with strong bipartisan support. The House bill, which contains the Senate-passed Travel Promotion Act language, is now going back to the Senate for final approval before being sent to the President for enactment. This legislation calls for an overseas travel promotion program that is projected to yield millions of new visitors, $4 billion in new economic stimulus, 40,000 new American jobs and $320 million in new federal tax revenue. The Congressional Budget Office reports that the bill will reduce the deficit by $425 million and increase revenues by $135 million over the next 10 years. The bill is funded - at no cost to the American taxpayer – by a $10 fee paid by overseas visitors to the United States and matching funds from the U.S. private travel sector. A prior version of the bill passed the House of Representatives in 2008, and the final version of the 2009 Travel Promotion Act is expected to pass the Senate and sent to the President for his signature in the coming weeks. More at the U.S. Travel Association
