NTA Encourages Support for Regional Travel Investment

Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA) recently introduced HR-4676, the Travel Regional Investment Partnership Act, or the TRIP Act, which will provide $10 million annually for five years in matching federal money to U.S. destinations for their marketing efforts, the National Tour Assocation (NTA)  reports. The legislation will build on the success with the recent signing of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, which calls for an overseas travel promotion program for the U.S.

The NTA urges its members to contact their U.S. representatives to add their sponsorships to H.R. 4676. Representatives should contact Tom Tucker in Representative Sam Farr's office at [email protected] to add their support. NTA members who contact their U.S. representatives should notify NTA Public Affairs Advocate Steve Richer, CTP, at [email protected] with the response.

In a letter to NTA members, NTA President Lisa Simon urged action. She noted that the NTA met with 40 other organizations at the Economic Summit on Travel and Tourism in December 2008 to develop recommendations on tourism issues for President Obama’s transition teams. One of the prominent issues was the passage of the Travel Promotion Act, and NTA has actively supported this legislation over the years.

“With a focus on domestic marketing only, the TRIP Act complements the Travel Promotion Act,” Simon said. “This new legislation directs the Secretary of Commerce to create a grant program designed to promote domestic regional tourism growth and new domestic tourism market creation. The bill (H.R. 4676) authorizes US$10 million annually for five years in competitive grants, to range between US$100,000 and US$1 million each, to accomplish those goals.

“Related to the Travel Promotion Act, Richer has been appointed to a task force to develop a road map for the soon-to-be created Corporation for Travel Promotion,” Simon continued. “This committee will send recommendations to the Department of Commerce on the implementation of the TPA, Simon said.

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