It’s time to toast the entire travel community: we’ve achieved an extraordinary feat with passage of the Travel Promotion Act.

While travel promotion isn’t a panacea for our international inbound travel issues – welcoming more visitors also requires continued improvement in visa and entry processes – this is the biggest commitment our government has made to support international travel to our country and the clearest indication to date that Congress is taking travel seriously. It is a monumental achievement for the industry that will pay dividends for all segments and pave the way for future successes in Washington.

With the President expected to sign the bill into law within days, we especially owe thanks to Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Harry Reid (D-NV) and John Ensign (R-NV), and Representatives Bill Delahunt (D-MA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), who championed the legislation during the past two sessions of Congress. They so clearly understood the value of this tax-free stimulus for job creation and economic growth. President Obama, who was a co-sponsor of the legislation as a Senator during the previous Congress, has long understood the importance of this program for improving America’s image around the world.

Learn more about the Travel Promotion Act.