Department of Commerce Seeks Applicants for Corporation for Travel Promotion Board of Directors

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. August 01, 2013

August 1, 2013 - The following notice was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2013. If you are interested in being considered for one of the four positions available on the Corporation for Travel Promotion Board of Directors and meet the qualifications as outlined, please follow the procedures outlined in the Federal Register Notice to apply. Please note that only applications received according to the process outlined below will be considered.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Corporation for Travel Promotion (dba Brand USA)

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

ACTION: Notice of an opportunity for travel and tourism industry leaders to apply for membership on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Travel Promotion.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is currently seeking applications from travel and tourism leaders from specific industries for membership on the Board of Directors (Board) of the Corporation for Travel Promotion (dba Brand USA). The purpose of the Board is to guide the Corporation for Travel Promotion on matters relating to the promotion of the U.S. travel and tourism industry, among other tasks.

ADDRESSES: Electronic applications may be sent to: [email protected]. Written applications can be submitted to Isabel Hill, Director, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 10007, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230. Telephone: 202.482.5120. Email: [email protected].

DATES: All applications must be received by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries by close of business on August 9, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Heizer, Deputy Director, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, Room 10003, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20230. Telephone: 202.482.4904. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background: The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (TPA) was signed into law by President Obama on March 4, 2010. The TPA established the Corporation for Travel Promotion (the Corporation), as a non-profit corporation charged with the development and execution of a plan to (A) provide useful information to those interested in traveling to the United States; (B) identify and address perceptions regarding U.S. entry policies; (C) maximize economic and diplomatic benefits of travel to the United States through the use of various promotional tools; (D) ensure that international travel benefits all States and the District of Columbia, and (E) identify opportunities to promote tourism to rural and urban areas equally, including areas not traditionally visited by international travelers.

The Corporation is governed by a board of directors, consisting of 11 members with knowledge of international travel promotion and marketing, broadly representing various regions of the United States. The TPA directs the Secretary of Commerce (after consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State) to appoint the board of directors for the Corporation.

At this time, the Department will be selecting four individuals with the appropriate expertise and experience from specific sectors of the travel and tourism industry to serve on the Board as follows:
•1 shall have appropriate expertise and experience in the attractions or recreations sector;
•1 shall have appropriate expertise and experience in the passenger air sector;
•1 shall have appropriate expertise and experience in immigration law and policy, including visa requirements and United States entry procedures; and
•1 shall have appropriate expertise in the inter-city passenger railroad business.

To be eligible for Board membership, one must have international travel and tourism marketing experience and must also be a U.S. citizen. In addition, individuals cannot be federally registered lobbyists or registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended.

Those selected for the Board must be able to meet the time and effort commitments of the Board. Priority may be given to individuals with experience as a Chief Executive Officer or President (or comparable level of responsibility) of an organization or entity in the travel and tourism sector in the United States.

Board members serve at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce (who may remove any member of the Board for good cause). The terms of office of each member of the Board appointed by the Secretary shall be 3 years. Board members can serve a maximum of two consecutive full three-year terms. Board members are not considered Federal government employees by virtue of their service as a member of the Board and will receive no compensation from the Federal government for their participation in Board activities. Members participating in Board meetings and events will be paid actual travel expenses and per diem when away from their usual places of residence.

To be considered for membership, please provide the following:
•Name, title, and personal resume of the individual requesting consideration; and
•A brief statement of why the person should be considered for membership on the Board. This statement should also address the individual's relevant international travel and tourism marketing experience and indicate clearly the sector or sectors enumerated above in which the individual has the requisite expertise and experience. Individuals who have the requisite expertise and experience in more than one sector can be appointed for only one of those sectors. Appointments of members to the Board will be made by the Secretary of Commerce.

About The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI)

The goal of the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) is to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth.

The primary functions of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) are:
•management of the travel and tourism statistical system for assessing the economic contribution of the industry and providing the sole source for characteristic statistics on international travel to and from the United States;
•design and administration of export expansion activities;
•development and management of tourism policy, strategy and advocacy; and
•technical assistance for expanding this key export (international tourism) and assisting in domestic economic development.

[email protected]