[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 108 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 108

       To designate May 4-12, 2002, as ``National Tourism Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 7, 2002

Mr. Burns (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following concurrent 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
       To designate May 4-12, 2002, as ``National Tourism Week''.

Whereas travel and tourism has a major impact on the economy of the United 
        States as the third largest retail sales industry in the Nation;
Whereas 1 out of every 7 people employed in the United States civilian labor 
        force is employed in the travel and tourism industry;
Whereas international travel to the United States is the largest service export, 
        having generated a trade surplus for 13 consecutive years;
Whereas domestic and international travel generated an estimated 
        $545,000,000,000 in expenditures in 2001, supporting more than 7,800,000 
        jobs, and creating more than $94,400,000,000 in tax revenue for Federal, 
        State, and local governments;
Whereas the slowing of the United States economy and the horrific terrorist 
        attacks of September 11, 2001, have had a tremendous negative effect on 
        the tourism industry;
Whereas according to the Travel Industry Association, the travel and tourism 
        industry would suffer a $43,000,000,000 decrease in spending from 
        domestic and international travelers due to the September 11, 2001, 
        attacks;
Whereas the Department of Commerce has issued preliminary figures indicating 
        that international travel to the United States decreased 11 percent 
        between 2000 and 2001, resulting in a 45 percent decrease in the travel 
        trade surplus (from $14,000,000,000 to $7,700,000,000), and that it may 
        take 3 years for international travel to return to the 2000 level;
Whereas decreased spending in 2001 caused the travel and tourism industry to 
        lose an estimated 600,000 jobs, and resulted in an estimated 3 percent 
        decrease in tax revenues from such industry;
Whereas National Tourism Week was established by Congress in 1983, and first 
        celebrated in May 1984, when President Ronald Reagan signed a 
        Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week ``with 
        appropriate ceremonies and activities;
Whereas since 1984, National Tourism Week has been celebrated each May by the 
        Travel Industry Association of America, as well as many States, cities, 
        and other travel industry associations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) designates May 4-12, 2002, as ``National Tourism Week; 
        and
            (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling upon the people of the United States to observe 
        National Tourism Week with appropriate ceremonies and 
        activities.
                                 <all>