Joining together : Travel groups align to heighten awareness of travel-and-tourism

Hotel & Motel Management, March 4, 2002 by Robert Selwitz

New York--An alliance formed in January between the Travel Business Roundtable and the World Travel & Tourism Council aims to boost travel industry clout and access in Washington.

While leaders of the TBR and WT&TC believe government awareness of the travel-and-tourism industry has grown rapidly since Sept. 11, members remain committed to ensuring that federal decision makers stay interested and receive expanded and focused industry input.

Jonathan Tisch, TBR chairman and c.e.o. of Loews Hotels, said both groups are comprised of c.e.o.s whose phone calls get returned and this means critical travel issues have an improved chance of being seriously considered by key lawmakers.

According to government relations specialist Charles L. Merin, managing director of Washington-based B.K.S.H. & Associates, several of those goals have a decent chance of passing this year. These include an 80-percent business-meal tax reduction, creating a limited, personal travel tax credit of $250; and the creation of funding for an international destination marketing effort promoting travel to the United States.

Merin said he is optimistic President Bush will create a presidential advisory council on travel-and-tourism, something the TRB called for last year.

Tisch said that while the TBR and the WTTC worked together informally during recent years, now is the time to take the relationship to the next level.

"[The alliance will] bring the necessary resources, research and private-sector expertise to help create a U.S. travel-and-tourism policy that could be an example for other nations to follow," said Ian Prosser, WTTC chairman and chairman of Six Continents PLC."

Prosser also said he's confident the two organizations can make a more effective case to governments about the jobs and economic benefits travel creates.

Tisch said there is a need for more vigorous moves.

"While we were badly damaged [by Sept. 11], the fact remains that no industry stands as prepared and ready to create jobs and boost economic development than travel-and-tourism. And we particularly need to encourage greater foreign visitation since international travelers spend six times as much as domestic travelers when they visit the U.S."

hmm@advanstar.com