THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 30, 1996 TAG: 9605300348
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 61 lines
Sen. John Warner said Wednesday he will work to get a representative from Virginia Beach on a proposed national tourism board, a public-private partnership, that would promote the travel industry.
The board of the United States Tourism Organization would have 45 members appointed or elected by travel-industry organizations. It would replace the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration, which was eliminated in April by federal downsizing.
``We're going to make this work for the nation, for Virginia and especially for Virginia Beach,'' Warner told a small gathering in front of the Life Saving Museum of Virginia along the Virginia Beach boardwalk.
Warner co-sponsored a bill, the U.S. Tourism Organization Act, that would create an industry-directed, privately funded organization to promote a national tourism strategy.
It would not be funded with tax dollars. Instead, the agency would develop and sell a logo and a licensing program to tourist destinations, hotels and airlines similar to the way the U.S. Olympic Committee markets its logo. The logo would signify a sanctioning from the tourism organization and could be used in advertising and promotions.
``With the dis-establishment of the federal tourism agency, we've become the only industrialized nation in the world that does not try to foster its tourism industry,'' Warner said.
The proposal would replace a big government program with a private-sector initiative, the senator said.
The proposed Tourism Organization Act has passed the House Commerce Committee and is making its way through the Senate Commerce Committee. Developing a tourism initiative is essential to keep tourism the nation's second largest employer, Warner said. It provides jobs for 6.3 million people and provides a $21.6 billion trade surplus.
Last year, $400 billion was pumped into the U.S. economy from the travel and tourism industry. One-fifth, or about $80 billion, was from foreign visitors.
Despite these hefty numbers, foreign tourism is on the decline in the United States. Last year, the nation had 2 million fewer visitors from abroad - a 19 percent decrease. That translated into 177,000 fewer travel-related jobs.
``We must reverse this decline,'' Warner said in a statement. ``The United States must remain the destination of choice for world travelers.''
In Virginia, tourism creates about 170,000 jobs, $600 million in state and local tax revenues, and $2.5 billion in annual payroll.
Virginia Beach hosted 2 million visitors last year who spent about $500 million dollars in the city and created 11,000 jobs. From 20 percent to 25 percent were foreign visitors.
When visitors spend money in Virginia Beach, an economic ripple is felt throughout the region, adding another 5,000 jobs and $500 million to the region's tourist industry.
``If we don't get our message out that the United States is open for business, we will be left in the dust,'' said Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, adding that Australia spends $100 million a year promoting tourism. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Se. John Warner
KEYWORDS: TOURISM VIRGINIA BEACH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA by CNB