[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58243-58244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24050]


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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 November 21, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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, ITA's Office of Travel 
& Tourism Industries (OTTI), Phone: (202) 482-0140, and fax: (202) 482-
2887. E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The ``Survey of International Air Travelers'' (Survey) program,

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administered by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) of 
the International Trade Administration provides source data required to 
(1) estimate international travel and passenger fare exports, imports 
and the trade balance for the United States, (2) comply with the U.S. 
Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-145), collect, analyze and 
report information to the Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), and 
support the National Export Initiative (NEI) to double exports for the 
country, (3) to comply with the 1961, 1981, and 1996 travel and tourism 
related acts to collect and publish comprehensive international travel 
and tourism, statistics and other marketing information, and (4) 
support the continuation of the Travel & Tourism Satellite Accounts for 
the United States, which provide the only spending and employment 
figures for the industry.
    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, key market intelligence, and 
identifying traveler and trip characteristics. The U.S. Department of 
Commerce 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 
United States, as well as U.S. resident travel abroad.
    A new survey instrument (questionnaire) (English version plus its 
translations into eleven foreign languages) has been developed that 
reflects input from over 70 respondents, including:
     Travel Industry (airlines, travel associations, 
destinations, lodging); Consultants; Financial Firms; Educational 
Institutions; and U.S. Government Agencies
    This new Survey questionnaire reflects changes in various questions 
relating to:
     Trip Purpose; Payment Methods; Booking/Information 
Sources; additional package components, health care/vaccinations/travel 
insurance information; Additional transportation used responses; 
Assessment of the Visitor's Experience; and Intentions for Further 
Travel to the United States; Ethnicity/race.
    Survey questions relating to a traveler's general impression of 
their airline carrier, flight connections, several airline rating 
attributes, their baggage delivery wait time, fewer activities, number 
of trips in the last five years, and whether they had personal safety 
concerns have been eliminated from the new Survey questionnaire.

II. Method of Collection

    Within the ``Survey of International Air Travelers (Survey)'' 
program, the majority of the passenger surveys are collected in U.S. 
departure gate areas of U.S. airports. There is a small portion of all 
passenger surveys that are collected on-board flights which have 
departed the United States (except to Canada). U.S. and foreign flag 
airlines that voluntarily participate in the Survey program enable this 
collection in either U.S. departure gate areas or on-board flights.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0625-0227.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension and revision of a 
currently approved information collection).
    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: September 14, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-24050 Filed 9-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P