You may recall, I spent some time in Washington DC a few months back, lobbying for the passage of the Travel Promotion Act.
The one-line summary of the bill (on the US Senate web site) is: "A bill to establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States."
The international visitor is an important customer in our industry. Most innkeepers I encounter say they welcome many international visitors. Visits to the US are below what we saw in 2000, and this has a great impact on our economy - especially the micro-economy of the travel industry.
Click here for a very compelling list of reasons why this bill is a good thing. Best estimates reveal that this legislation will help reduce the deficit, which is likely why it received such strong bipartisan support. Here is a list of the 79 Senators who voted in favor, the 19 who voted against, and the one who didn't vote.
To understand the powers of the bill and how it would be funded, click here. A few members have disagreed with my support of this bill, because it would involve a new $10 fee on travelers from visa-waiver countries. Compared to what Americans pay in similar fees when visiting European countries (most fees are hidden in taxes and fees in your airline ticket) this is very, very minor. In my opinion, a $10 fee that is good for two years would not prohibit people from traveling to the US.
If you want to communicate with your Senator via email, click here for an easy-to-use, online portal. Be sure to include personal details about you and your business, so it's not as cookie-cutter.
Thanks for your support! Swirt - if this crosses the line of "too political," I will understand if you must take it down.
Best regards,
Jay
Edited to add: A new vote on a) "cloture" and b) "final passage" for the same Senate-passed bill they approved in September is still necessary.
The one-line summary of the bill (on the US Senate web site) is: "A bill to establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States."
The international visitor is an important customer in our industry. Most innkeepers I encounter say they welcome many international visitors. Visits to the US are below what we saw in 2000, and this has a great impact on our economy - especially the micro-economy of the travel industry.
Click here for a very compelling list of reasons why this bill is a good thing. Best estimates reveal that this legislation will help reduce the deficit, which is likely why it received such strong bipartisan support. Here is a list of the 79 Senators who voted in favor, the 19 who voted against, and the one who didn't vote.
To understand the powers of the bill and how it would be funded, click here. A few members have disagreed with my support of this bill, because it would involve a new $10 fee on travelers from visa-waiver countries. Compared to what Americans pay in similar fees when visiting European countries (most fees are hidden in taxes and fees in your airline ticket) this is very, very minor. In my opinion, a $10 fee that is good for two years would not prohibit people from traveling to the US.
If you want to communicate with your Senator via email, click here for an easy-to-use, online portal. Be sure to include personal details about you and your business, so it's not as cookie-cutter.
Thanks for your support! Swirt - if this crosses the line of "too political," I will understand if you must take it down.
Best regards,
Jay
Edited to add: A new vote on a) "cloture" and b) "final passage" for the same Senate-passed bill they approved in September is still necessary.