WASHINGTON -- The travel industry continues to struggle with fewer
airline passengers, soft hotel occupancy levels and drops in theme
park attendance, according to representatives from several travel
sectors who testified April 30 before the House subcommittee on
commerce, trade and consumer protection.
The industry has lost billions of dollars -- ASTA pegged it at
$20 billion -- in revenue and more than 300,000 jobs since 2001,
they said.
To spur travel, industry representatives urged lawmakers to back
tax incentives that would encourage business travel; ease certain
immigration procedures to encourage inbound tourism; provide a
limited "tax holiday" on certain industry tariffs; and support the
establishment of a travel and tourism advisory council that would
report to the Bush administration.
Subcommittee chairman Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who supported
the industry's recommendations, said he would soon introduce
legislation that would establish a permanent presidential
council.