[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46870-46871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18551]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
International Air Travelers

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 14, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Richard Champley or Ron Erdmann, Office of Travel & 
Tourism Industries (OTTI), ITA, Phone: (202) 482-0140, and fax: (202) 
482-2887, E-Mail: [email protected] or 
[email protected].

[[Page 46871]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The ``Survey of International Air Travelers'' program, administered 
by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) of the 
International Trade Administration provides the sole source data 
required to: (1) Estimate international travel and passenger fare 
exports, imports and the trade balance for the United States; (2) 
support the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Bureau of Economic 
Analysis' (BEA) mandate to collect, analyze and report information used 
to calculate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and (3) Travel and 
Tourism Satellite Account for the United States.
    The Survey program contains the core data that is analyzed and 
communicated by OTTI with other government agencies, associations and 
businesses that share the same objective of increasing U.S. 
international travel exports. The Survey assists OTTI in assessing the 
economic impact of international travel on state and local economies, 
providing visitation estimates, and identifying traveler and trip 
characteristics. The DOC assists travel industry enterprises to 
increase international travel and passenger fare exports for the 
country as well as outbound travel on U.S. carriers. The Survey program 
provides the only available estimates of nonresident visitation to the 
states and cities within the U.S., as well as U.S. resident travel 
abroad. U.S. and foreign flag airlines that voluntarily participate in 
the Survey program enable the collection.

II. Method of Collection

    The survey will be collected by: (1) the flight attendant during 
the flight, or (2) the sub-contractor ``interviewer'' in the pre-flight 
departure gate area. International passengers will be prompted to 
complete/submit the survey after making flight arrangements via a 
booking engine (i.e., Worldspan) or an airline Internet site.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0625-0227.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 99,400.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 24,850.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 7, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-18551 Filed 8-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P