U.S. Senators Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Catherine Cortez Masto D-Nev. recently announced that their legislation to reauthorize Brand USA passed the Senate and would reach the president’s desk. Brand USA is a public-private partnership increasing tourism across the US by promoting international travel to the country.
Blunt said, “Missouri’s tourism industry supports more than 300,000 jobs and contributes billions of dollars to our economy. Reauthorizing Brand USA will help ensure we remain competitive in the international tourism industry and will bring even more visitors to attractions, restaurants, and hotels in Missouri and across the nation.”
“Tourism is an important aspect of Minnesota’s economy and the beauty and wilderness of our state has attracted visitors from around the world for decades,” said Klobuchar. “The spending agreement will help ensure that Brand USA can fulfill its mission of encouraging travelers from around the world to visit Minnesota.”
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said, “Brand USA provides incredibly positive impact on the U.S. economy and jobs base at no cost to the taxpayer, and the lawmakers who championed its reauthorization deserve tremendous credit for smart and effective policymaking. Brand USA is not only proven to boost the country’s ability to tap into the lucrative international travel market, but it is explicitly tasked with driving that value into every corner of the country. Congratulations to the measure’s cosponsors for getting this outstanding program renewed before the end of this year, which will enable Brand USA to maximize its value for the American people.”
Since 2013, Brand USA has successfully brought in 6.6 million incremental international visitors to the United States, generating a total economic impact of almost $48 billion and supporting an average of around 52,000 jobs annually.
Tags: Brand USA
