The U.S. Travel Association conducted a “Travel Works for America” Power Hour with U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor and more than 20 Tampa Bay area travel and business leaders on Thursday, August 15, demonstrating the tangible impact that travel has on the local region and businesses.
 

“Travel is critically important for communities like the Tampa Bay area, which rely on travel to power their economy and workforce,” said Tori Emerson Barnes, U.S. Travel Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy. “We appreciate the opportunity to join Congresswoman Castor for a discussion on how Congress can further support the growth of travel to her district and throughout the United States, as well as the leadership of Visit Tampa Bay, who were instrumental in bringing us together.”

“Travel and tourism lift communities across America, and we want international visitors to feel welcome and enjoy their travel experience,” said Congresswoman Castor. “Improvements to security lines, visas and infrastructure are a top priority for the traveling public. Across the Tampa Bay area, travelers boost our local economy to the tune of over $8 billion in travel spending and over 45,000 jobs, so it’s vital that we make modern investments to keep visitors coming back to our beautiful beaches, special events and unique neighborhoods. Safe and fun visits are a win-win-win for travelers, the Tampa Bay economy, local businesses, and workers.”

“We are fortunate to have true champions of our local tourism and hospitality industry in Congresswoman Castor and partner organizations like U.S. Travel,” said Santiago C. Corrada, the President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “Their support, along with Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa, has been critical in creating positive impacts to our local economy and generating $535 million in state and local taxes.”

The Power Hour agenda included critical topics such as the need to lower wait times for U.S. visitor visas—especially for first-time applicants, which exceed 280 days on average in key visa-requiring markets—as well as reducing wait times for travelers at U.S. Customs at gateway airports.

Participants also discussed the need to permanently expand the H-2B worker visa program, especially in support of the small and seasonal businesses that depend on temporary workers; the benefits to travelers of innovative facial identity verification technology at TSA airport checkpoints; full funding for the new Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism at the U.S. Department of Commerce; and the importance of Brand USA, the official destination marketing organization for the United States.