The U.S. House of Representatives today voted in favor of the Travel Promotion, Enhancement and Authorization Act (H.R. 4450). The legislation -- which could cut the federal deficit by $231 million, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office -- renews Brand USA through 2020 by reauthorizing the Travel Promotion Act that created it in 2010.
"The travel community heartily congratulates House leaders of both parties for embracing a policy that pays clear dividends for the U.S. economy: extending Brand USA and the outstanding work it does to attract international travelers and their dollars to American shores," U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said in a New Linkstatement. "The job-creating effects of travel activity, and the back-end return on travel promotion efforts, are both absolutely beyond questioning. It's hard to believe that in the hyper-competitive global travel market, the U.S. was without any agency performing these functions at a national level before Brand USA came into being three years ago. It's why we were losing market share to destinations in Asia and Europe, where tourism promotion is usually a cabinet-level public ministry. By moving to keep Brand USA in business, the House has paved the way for us to build on our record 70 million inbound international visitors last year."
H.R. 4450 now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Update (July 24, 2014): H.R. 4450's Senate companion bill, S. 2250, was unanimously passed yesterday by the Senate Commerce Committee. Said Dow: "The Senate committee vote follows the House's resounding approval of this important travel program, and we are extremely pleased that Congress is moving forward on extending the proven benefits of Brand USA for another five years ... Brand USA provides enormous economic opportunities and job growth for large and small communities across the country. We urge Senate leadership to bring this bill to the floor immediately, so Brand USA can be reauthorized and its economic promise and benefits can continue."