[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22213-22214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08789]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of an opportunity to apply for membership on the U.S. 
Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is currently seeking applications 
for membership on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board). 
The purpose of the Board is to advise the Secretary of Commerce on 
matters relating to the travel and tourism industry.

DATES: Applications for immediate consideration for membership must be 
received by the Office of Advisory Committees and Industry Outreach by 
5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Friday, May 6, 2016. 
Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis to fill 
vacancies when they arise during over the next two years.

ADDRESSES: Please submit application information by email to 
[email protected], attention to Li Zhou, Office of Advisory Committees 
and Industry Outreach.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Li Zhou, Deputy Director, Office of 
Advisory Committees and Industry Outreach, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Room 4043, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, 
telephone: 202-482-4501, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board 
(Board) is established pursuant to Department of Commerce authority 
under 15 U.S.C. 1512 and under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended, 5 U.S.C. App. (FACA), and advises the Secretary of Commerce 
(Secretary) on matters relating to the U.S. travel and tourism 
industry. The Board provides a means of ensuring regular contact 
between the U.S. Government and the travel and tourism industry. The 
Board advises the Secretary on government policies and programs that 
affect United States travel and tourism, and the Board serves as a 
forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related 
problems. The Board acts as a liaison among the stakeholders 
represented by the membership and provides a forum for those 
stakeholders on current and emerging issues in the travel and

[[Page 22214]]

tourism sector. The Board recommends ways to ensure that the United 
States remains the preeminent destination for international visitation 
and tourism throughout the world.
    The Office of Advisory Committees and Industry Outreach is 
accepting applications for Board members. The Board shall consist of no 
more than 32 members appointed by the Secretary. Members shall 
represent companies and organizations in the travel and tourism sector 
from a broad range of products and services, company sizes, and 
geographic locations and shall be drawn from large, medium, and small 
travel and tourism companies, private-sector organizations involved in 
the export of travel and tourism-related products and services, and 
other tourism-related entities.
    Each Board member shall serve as the representative of a U.S. 
company in the travel and tourism industry, a private sector U.S. 
organization involved in the export of travel and tourism-related 
products and services, or a tourism-related U.S. entity. For 
eligibility purposes, a ``U.S. company'' is a for-profit firm that is 
incorporated in the United States (or an unincorporated U.S. firm with 
its principal place of business in the United States) that is 
controlled by U.S. citizens or by other U.S. companies. A company is 
not a U.S. company if 50 percent plus one share of its stock (if a 
corporation, or a similar ownership interest of an unincorporated 
entity) is known to be controlled, directly or indirectly, by non-U.S. 
citizens or non-U.S. companies. For eligibility purposes, a ``U.S. 
organization'' is an organization, including trade associations and 
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), established under the laws of the 
United States, that is controlled by U.S. citizens, by another U.S. 
organization (or organizations), or by a U.S. company (or companies), 
as determined based on its board of directors (or comparable governing 
body), membership, and funding sources, as applicable. For eligibility 
purposes, a U.S. entity is a tourism-related entity that can 
demonstrate U.S. ownership or control, including but not limited to 
state and local tourism marketing entities, state government tourism 
offices, state and/or local government-supported tourism marketing 
entities, and multi-state tourism marketing entities.
    Members of the Board will be selected, in accordance with 
applicable Department of Commerce guidelines, based on their ability to 
carry out the objectives of the Board as set forth in the charter. 
Members of the Board shall be selected in a manner that ensures that 
the Board is balanced in terms of points of view, industry subsector, 
range of products and services, demographics, geography, and company 
size.
    Additional factors which will be considered in the selection of 
Board members include candidates' proven experience in the strategic 
development and management of travel and tourism-related or other 
service-related organizations; or the candidate's proven experience in 
promoting, developing, and implementing advertising and marketing 
programs for travel-related or tourism-related industries.
    Priority may be given to a Chief Executive Officer, Executive 
Director, or President (or comparable level of responsibility) of a 
U.S. company, U.S. organization, or U.S. entity in the travel and 
tourism sector.
    Members shall serve a term of two years from the date of 
appointment, at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce. Although 
the Board's current charter terminates in September 2017, it is 
anticipated that it will be rechartered.
    Members shall serve in a representative capacity, representing the 
views and interests of their particular industry subsector. Board 
members are not special government employees, and will receive no 
compensation for their participation in Board activities. Members 
participating in Board meetings and events will be responsible for 
their travel, living and other personal expenses. Meetings will be held 
regularly and, to the extent practical, not less than twice annually, 
usually in Washington, DC.
    For immediate consideration for membership, please provide the 
following information by the Friday, May 6, 2016 deadline to the 
address listed in the ADDRESSES section:
    1. Name and title of the individual requesting consideration.
    2. A sponsor letter from the applicant on his or her company/
organization/entity letterhead or, if the applicant is to represent a 
company/organization/entity other than his or her employer, a letter 
from the company/organization/entity to be represented, containing a 
brief statement of why the applicant should be considered for 
membership on the Board. This sponsor letter should also address the 
applicant's travel and tourism-related experience.
    3. The applicant's personal resume.
    4. An affirmative statement that the applicant is not required to 
register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act 
of 1938, as amended.
    5. If the applicant is to represent a company, information 
regarding the control of the company, including the stock holdings as 
appropriate, signifying compliance with the criteria set forth above.
    6. If the applicant is to represent an organization, information 
regarding the control of the organization, including the governing 
structure, members, and revenue sources as appropriate, signifying 
compliance with the criteria set forth above.
    7. If the applicant is to represent a tourism-related entity, the 
functions and responsibilities of the entity, and information regarding 
the entity's U.S. ownership or control, signifying compliance with the 
criteria set forth above.
    8. The company's, organization's, or entity's size, product or 
service line and major markets in which the company, organization, or 
entity operates.
    9. Brief statement describing how the applicant will contribute to 
the work of the Board based on his or her unique experience and 
perspective (not to exceed 100 words).

    Dated: April 12, 2016.
Tricia Van Orden,
Office of Advisory Committees & Industry Outreach.
[FR Doc. 2016-08789 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P