PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Cathy Keefe
202.408.2183
ckeefe@tia.org, www.tia.org

February 1, 2007

TRAVEL INDUSTRY LAUDS SENATOR DORGAN’S PLEDGE TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION IMPROVING SECURITY AND HELPING AMERICA’S IMAGE ABROAD

Industry Also Unveils One-Year Evaluation of Progress Made On Rice-Chertoff Joint Vision

WASHINGTON, DC — Travel industry leaders today applauded Sen. Byron Dorgan’s pledge to develop legislation aimed at implementing a three-step plan for increasing travel to the U.S. through reforms in visa policies, enhancements at arrival points and efforts to change perceptions of the U.S. abroad.

Dorgan, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade and Tourism, presided over full committee hearing yesterday detailing this plan – the “Blueprint to Discover America,” which was created by a coalition of industry leaders called the Discover America Partnership. Full Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK), two long-time stalwarts of the travel and tourism industry, also echoed Senator Dorgan’s support.

“Our plan to welcome more international travelers to the U.S. while strengthening security is vital for improving our nation’s economy and public diplomacy efforts,” said Jonathan Tisch, Chairman of Loews Hotels and Chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable (TBR). “The pledge of Senator Dorgan and Members of the Committee to create new legislation is an important show of support for what we are trying to accomplish.”

“We appreciate having Sen. Dorgan as a key ally in this cause, and look forward to working with him and others on Capitol Hill and in the Administration to advance these proposals to increase security and send a more welcoming message to our friends in other countries,” said Roger Dow, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Travel Industry Association (TIA).

Tisch, Stevan Porter, President, the Americas of Intercontinental Hotel Group and Chairman of the Discover America Partnership; and Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and chairman of TIA, testified at yesterday’s hearing after Rasulo introduced the plan at TIA’s annual State of the Travel Industry Luncheon.

“The challenge…is not merely an industry challenge or even a private sector challenge – it is America’s challenge – one that both government and the private sector must address together,” said Rasulo in his testimony.

Also unveiled yesterday was a joint TIA and TBR report which provides an evaluation of progress made on initiatives announced one year ago by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff.

During the hearing, Porter, Rasulo and Tisch highlighted the importance of garnering more resources for the Departments of State and Homeland Security to better meet implement their proposals.

“In this evaluation, we recognize that the State Department and DHS are making progress in most of the initiatives in the Rice-Chertoff plan. However, that progress has been slow. We believe, if given appropriate resources, they can accomplish in months what might take years otherwise,” said Tisch.

In the report, TBR and TIA offered “marginal progress” ratings on five of the 11 initiatives evaluated, including model ports of entry, passport cards and digital videoconferencing for visa interviews. They noted most progress has been made in the areas of student visas and e-Passports, but seek further progress in other areas.

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