After 2-year effort, travel promotion act passes Congress
Who says there's no bipartisanship in Washington? The Senate last night, on a 78-18 vote, approved legislation creating a travel promotion program designed to reverse the fall in foreign visitors the country has suffered since 9/11. The travel promotion bill, pushed by a broad coalition of travel-industry groups for the last two years, passed the House last fall by an even larger margin and now goes to President Obama, who says he'll sign it.
Passing the legislation also is an indication that Congress isn't afraid of raising taxes -- provided, of course, that the taxes won't be paid by U.S. citizens. The program will require isitors from about three dozen countries, mostly in Europe, whose citizens don't need U.S. visas to pay a $10 fee for entry into the country, raising $100 million year. Private-sector travel companies will provide an equal amount to advertise the U.S. abroad.