USTA Lauds Recovery Act, Calls for Additional Measures

Stimulate Travel, Protect 20 Million U.S. Jobs

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. January 23, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC, January 23, 2008 - The U.S. Travel Association (USTA)(formerly Travel Industry Association (TIA)), 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 Dow. "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.