Statement from USTA on Gulf Recovery Plan by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus
October 04, 2010 - Responding to the inclusion of several travel industry proposals in a long-term recovery plan for the Gulf released by U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus yesterday, Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), issued the following statement:
“We are gratified that Secretary Mabus has heard the travel community and recognizes the critical need for continuing funding for marketing travel and tourism to the Gulf region and greater transparency in how the funds are distributed. We also appreciate his acknowledgement of continuing perception problems for the region and his recommendation that funding guidelines should be structured to mitigate the long-term impacts on travel and tourism. Secretary Mabus' recommendation that the Administration should lead efforts to develop a coordinated plan for further tourism promotion that responsible parties should fund is also welcome.
“I have advocated for these same proposals in the U.S. Travel-published Roadmap to Recovery, in testimony before Congress, in the media, and before Administration officials. We continue to believe that an investment in tourism promotion can provide a 15-to-1 return on investment in travel-related spending and bolster support for the 400,000 travel and tourism workers in the Gulf region. In fact, a study by Oxford Economics showed that a robust marketing campaign could prevent billions of dollars of economic damage to the region. The report outlined by Secretary Mabus demonstrates that he believes - as we do - that travel and tourism can lead the economic recovery in the Gulf.
“The economic impact of the Gulf oil spill on travel and tourism in the region is a long way from being over. We will continue to work with Administration officials to ensure all possible resources are mobilized to minimize the impact workers in the Gulf region.”
The USTA is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $704 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.
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