Welcome to the Travel Business Roundtable (TBR)!

Founded in 1995 following the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism, our mission is to educate elected officials and policy makers about our industry’s significant economic and social contributions to the nation.

In only a few years of existence, TBR has accomplished a lot and taken great strides toward increasing governmental and public awareness of the strength and diversity of the travel and tourism industry. We have forged strong public and private partnerships that have allowed us to attract additional attention and resources.

As a CEO-based organization we have caught the attention of both policy makers and business leaders. Considered by many to be the pre-eminent organization in Washington on governmental matters of concern to our industry, TBR members have met with Cabinet secretaries, senior White House officials, Congressional leaders, governors, mayors, and literally hundreds of elected officials.

Our message is simple — travel and tourism is a diverse industry with a unique impact on the domestic and global economies. The 1950s industrial economy has given way to the 21st Century service economy, and travel and tourism defines that service economy around the world. We create jobs and careers; we contribute more than $99 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments, providing critical money for essential services; we are one of very few industries that create a multi-billion dollar trade surplus; and we fulfill important social policy goals, such as moving people from welfare to work. Travel and tourism is in all 50 states and all 435 congressional districts.

As strong as our industry is, it was forever changed by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Since that time we have experienced challenges no one could have predicted.

Hundreds of thousands of travel and tourism industry workers were laid off or had their hours reduced; travel and tourism companies faced steep revenue shortfalls; and state and local governments saw a rapid decline in tax revenue upon which they were particularly reliant in the recessionary economy.

Since then, remaining fears of travel, anxiety about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, SARS, anthrax, and the fluctuating U.S. economy remain barriers to the industry’s full recovery.

The travel and tourism industry, as well as many states and cities, have undertaken a number of efforts to encourage people to start traveling again. While we are seeing promising signs that reaffirm the progress being made, we clearly have more to do as we look to work collaboratively with our elected officials to find solutions that will get more Americans traveling and increase international arrivals to the U.S.

As an industry we are working to advance homeland security while promoting travel to and within the United States for legitimate business and leisure visitors. We are working towards the creation of a Presidential Advisory Council on Travel and Tourism restoration of funds for an international destination marketing campaign.

The Travel Business Roundtable works hard to promote the interests of our industry’s employers and employees. We are focused on ensuring that the federal government maintains a positive and productive relationship with our industry, and finds ways to better position the United States as a travel destination of choice.

We hope that you find this site interesting and informative and that the materials contained within help illustrate the dynamism of the U.S. travel and tourism industry.

Jonathan M. Tisch
Chairman

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