There is a silver lining in Chicago’s failed effort to win the 2016 Summer Olympics, said Geoff Freeman, senior vice president of the U.S. Travel Association.

The lost bid, attributed at least in part to the negative impressions of the U.S. overseas, seems to have sent a clear message to Congress, where the Travel Promotion Act is pending, said Freeman.

The "buzz" suggests the measure, which has passed the Senate, may move faster in the House than might have otherwise been the case, he said.

Freeman cited a question from the Pakistani member of the International Olympic Committee who wondered if the U.S. really wanted foreign visitors and called travel to the U.S. a "pretty harrowing experience."

The U.S. Travel Association, Freeman said, doesn’t have to work too hard to explain anything to Congress. "The point was heard by many people this time. There is less we have to do this time."

He added that the Travel Promotion Act is not a panacea, but he called it an essential part of a "three-legged stool" that also includes quick visa processing and improved entry experiences.

Freeman said significant progress in those two areas has been made in the last three years, but that "there has been no effort to tell people."

"This president is committed to improving the [visa and arrivals] process and letting people know they are welcome," Freeman said. "We have a good partner in this administration. We need to continue to push for common-sense policy that provides good security."

The Travel Promotion Act would create the first U.S. promotion and communications program aimed at international travelers.