US Travel Promotion Act Starts Sept 15, 2010

(Dive Travel Business News - Sept 8, 2010) -- Earlier this summer, the U.S. Government raised U.S. passport fees substantially, increasing the cost for US citizens traveling abroad. This fall, the focus will be on inbound travel with the new U.S. Travel Promotion Act:  This Act, which goes into effect next week on Wednesday, September 15, calls for a $14 fee to be levied on travelers from 36 nations who enter the U.S.

The 36 nations are those that fall under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows visits to the U.S. of up to 90 days without the necessity of a seeking a visa (for non-work related travel).

Travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries will pay the $14 when they register online for U.S. travel through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. Of the $14 fee, $10 will go toward tourism marketing and $4 will cover the operating costs of registering the travelers for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.

Wikipedia has a map of these countries here, which includes most of Europe plus Australia/New Zealand and even Japan. Travelers from one of the countries marked in red on the map will be required to pay the US$14 fee. The fee is not per trip: Foreign travelers are covered for two years of travel.

The Travel Promotion Act also calls for the creation of the Corporation for Travel Promotion, a public-private nonprofit that will market the U.S. as a tourism destination and communicate travel security policies. The CTP initiative will be funded in part by travelers who visit the U.S. 

The Travel Promotion Act (TPA) was signed into Federal law on March 4, 2010 by President Obama.  The TPA serves to address the dirth of travel promotion to the United States: Nearly every other country in the world has an official program to welcome international tourists to their nation.  The United States stands alone in its absence of a promotion program, and the lack of a coordinated campaign shows in the decline of visitors to the United States. 

Declines in visitation since 2001 have left an estimated $182 billion shortfall in new visitor spending and $27 billion in lost tax revenue.  And with the absence of these travelers, 245,000 U.S. jobs were not created.  Additionally, the United States has had no means of direct communication with travelers, leaving the nation's messages, new security notices, and travel improvements to be filtered by others, including foreign media.  

Photo Courtesy: American Hotel & Lodging Association

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