WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt today joined with Fortune 500 tourism industry leaders to launch a public-private sector initiative that will attract 10 million overseas visitors to the US, improve our image around the globe, and boost jobs at home.
"The best ambassadors for America are Americans," Delahunt said. "We know a thing or two about tourism in Southeastern Massachusetts. From the Cape and Islands to America’s hometown of Plymouth and my own home in the city of presidents, Quincy, what brings people back year after year isn’t just the history, charming scenery, or clam chowder -- but our values of democracy and freedom."
The Discover America Partnership seeks to harness that same spirit by bringing together some of the foremost business leaders in the nation to make travel and tourism an integral part of the public diplomacy process. They echo the Congressman’s sentiment that it is vital for our nation to increase opportunities for American’s to interact with international visitors. To that end, they have established the ambitious goal of increasing foreign tourism to the United States by 10 million people over the next year. According to the US Commerce Department such an increase could result in more than $13 billion in revenue, 153,000 new jobs and $2 billion in tax revenue. Funding for the program comes from the member companies of two leading tourism and trade associations – the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable.
Delahunt was joined at the podium by Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts and the Chairman of the Travel Industry Association; Steve Porter, President, the Americas, InterContinental Hotel Group and Chairman of the Discover America Partnership; Jonathan Tisch, Chairman and CEO of Lowes Hotels and Chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable; and Roger Dow, President and CEO of the Travel Industry Association.
Partnership Springs from Delahunt Suggestion
In a speech delivered last year to the US Chamber of Commerce, the Congressman challenged the hospitality industry to wage a bipartisan, aggressive campaign to strike the "elusive post-September 11 balance" for enhanced national security without choking civil liberties or commercial opportunities.
The surplus from international tourism is used to offset the nation’s trade deficit. However, America’s share of the of the growing world wide travel market dropped by 36 percent between 1992 and 2005, costing the nation $42 billion in lost revenue last year alone. During the same a ten year period, the international balance of trade surplus dropped 70 percent – from $26.3 billion to $7.4 billion last year. In Massachusetts, tourism is the state’s third largest industry, supporting more than 124,000 jobs and garnering $3.1 billion in payroll income. Five years ago, Massachusetts was among the top ten states in the nation in attracting international tourists, but that ranking has slipped considerably in recent years.
Aside from boosting tourism, the Discover America Partnership also seeks to improve our global image. A recent study by the Pew Global Attitudes Project shows that, in most nations, less than 50 percent of the population holds a favorable opinion of the US. "Even among our most steadfast allies, like Great Britain, France and Germany, our image has dropped," Delahunt said.
Delahunt alerted the CEOs to a report by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office that gave one possible explanation for these findings, "anti-Americanism is spreading around the globe." The report further states that "such sentiments can increase foreign support for terrorism directed at Americans, impact the cost and effectiveness of military operations, weaken the United States’ ability to align with other nations in pursuit of common policy objectives and dampen the foreign publics’ enthusiasm for US business services and products."
As a member of the House International Relations Committee, Delahunt has been a staunch advocate for reducing barriers that inhibit tourism. The panel has oversight responsibility over the State Department – the agency responsible for processing tourist visas. Two years ago, he launched the "Massachusetts Cultural Coast" initiative that brought together regional Chambers of Commerce, the National Park Service and local businesses to promote the heritage and strengthen the economy of southeastern Massachusetts.
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