03/08/2018

Visit U.S. Announces Policy Agenda

The agenda supports policies that will help the country regain its lost share of the global travel market

Late last week, the Visit U.S. Coalition rolled out a targeted policy agenda aimed at reversing the decline in inbound international visitors to the U.S.

In January, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) joined the U.S. Travel Association and other pro-travel groups to launch the Visit U.S. Coalition. Research prepared by U.S. Travel shows that, while global travel has increased 7.9 percent from 2015 to 2017, the U.S. market share has fallen from 13.6 percent to 11.9 percent over the same period. That decline in international travel resulted in a loss of $32.2 billion in visitor spending and 100,000 hospitality jobs.

The Visit U.S. Coalition’s policy agenda is designed to support the administration and Congress in embracing policies that will help the U.S. regain its lost share of the global travel market by 2020. The agenda includes a broad range of positions including support for Brand USA, a public-private partnership that markets the U.S. abroad; identifying new partner countries for the Visa Waiver Program; expanding access to travel visas and increasing the number of visa processing facilities in high-demand countries; and expanding awareness and participation in trusted traveler programs like Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri and Preclearance to more international markets.

“Like the other coalition members, ASAE is concerned about the decline in international travel to the United States,” said ASAE President and CEO John Graham, FASAE, CAE. “It’s in our common interest to work with our association partners and policymakers to reverse this downward trajectory. We understand and support the need for security, but we also need to better communicate that America is a welcoming destination for international visitors.”

This article was provided to OSAE by the Power of A and ASAE's Inroads.