(January 19, 2012) -- Today
President Barack Obama is announcing new initiatives to significantly increase travel and tourism to the United States while also adding jobs to the economy. The goal is to make the United States the world’s top travel and
tourism destination, according to a White House press release.
Read full details from today's
Press Release.
“Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come
and visit America. And the more folks who visit America, the more
Americans we get back to work,” said President
Obama.
Among the highlights of the plan:
- Connect new travel and tourism opportunities with job creation in the United States
- Focus visitor interest in America's national parks, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, monuments and other public lands
- Make the Visa Waiver Program a permanent program to expedite non-immigrant tourist visa applications from international visitors
- Create a public access web site with with key information to inform the travel industry about visa processes in key markets
Among the government agencies involved in the nation's tourism efforts are Commerce, Interior, State and Homeland Security.
President Obama has been a staunch ally of the tourism industry throughout his term, and was an
early supporter of the tourism initiative while campaigning in 2008.
President Obama signed into law the bi-partisan
National Travel Promotion Act into law on March 4, 2010, helping to stimulate domestic and international tourism to the United States.
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