[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        UNITED STATES NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION ACT OF 1996

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                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 27, 1996

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the United States 
Travel and Tourism Partnership Act (H.R. 2579). This important 
legislation will use the entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector 
with the international reach of the Federal Government. This private/
public partnership will improve the promotion of international travel 
and tourism to the United States.
  H.R. 2579 establishes a National Tourism Board to oversee and 
regulate the National Tourism Organization. The NTB would be comprised 
of 36 members appointed by the President and their mission will be 
responsible to utilize the joint private/public partnership for travel 
and tourism policy making; develop a national travel and tourism 
strategy for increasing travel and tourism to and within the United 
States; advise the President, Congress, and the travel and tourism 
industry on strategies to improve tourism; and provide guidance to the 
National Tourism Organization.
  The National Tourism Organization will be the successor to the now 
disposed United States Travel and Tourism Administration. The NTO would 
be established by Federal charter as a not-for-profit organization. The 
board of directors for the NTO will be comprised of 45 travel and 
tourism industry leaders appointed by the President and accountable to 
the NTB. The NTO's mission will focus on increasing the U.S. share of 
the global tourism market; operating travel and tourism promotion 
programs outside the United States in partnership with the travel and 
tourism industry; establishing a travel-tourism data bank which would 
collect international market data for distribution to the U.S. travel 
and tourism industry; and promoting U.S. travel and tourism at 
international trade shows.
  Last year, travel and tourism contributed nearly $430 billion to the 
U.S. economy. In my District of San Diego, CA, the tourism industry is 
the second largest employer accounting for one out of every eight jobs 
and adds $3.8 billion to the local economy.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Roth] for his 
work on this issue. It is through his leadership as chairman of the 
Travel and Tourism Caucus that we are here today moving America's 
travel and tourism industry forward into the 21st century.

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