WASHINGTON, D.C. - Entry/exit procedures, opening Cuba for travel
and funding for destination marketing organizations and national parks are
among NTA's eight priority advocacy issues for 2010. Although the
association's government relations team will monitor all legislative
activity, these eight issues will receive top attention.
"Based on legislation that can either impede or help our members' business
interests, the NTA Board determines these priority issues to set the focus
of the association's government advocacy work for the coming year," said
NTA President Lisa Simon, CTP.
The eight issues adopted by the NTA Board are:
Hotel occupancy tax issues U.S. entry and exit procedures, visa issuance
and the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program Marketing grants for
destination marketing organizations and nonprofit organizations Airline
policies that impact sellers of travel Lifting of U.S. travel restrictions
to Cuba Effective implementation of the Travel Promotion Act and the
creation of a high-level travel/tourism presence National Parks and public
lands access/marketing funds Passage of highway and Federal Aviation
Administration authorization billsThese issues will be discussed with
elected officials during the 2010 Grassroots Symposium, to be held Feb. 8-
10, 2010, in Washington, DC. Featured remarks of the Symposium are by
Congressman Bill Delahunt, (D-Mass), who is chief House sponsor of the
Travel Promotion Act and the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act.
The National Tour Association was established in 1951 as a unified voice to
advocate a friendly regulatory environment in which the newly formed
packaged travel industry could operate. Today, NTA's government relations
activities include monitoring security issues, as well as state and federal
legislation and regulatory issues affecting the travel and tourism
industry. NTA maintains full-time representation in Washington, D.C., to
serve as the association's voice on Capitol Hill to create a more positive
travel experience for travelers around the globe.