What is "Brand USA"? House Bill (Summer 2014) 4450 -- Travel Promotion, Enhancement, Modernization

from The Honorable Fred Upton (6th Congressional District, Michigan, R): This week, my House Energy and Commerce Committee approved H.R. 4450, the “Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014,” to reauthorize Brand USA, which is dedicated to increasing inbound international travel to the United States. Launched in 2010 under the Travel Promotion Act (TPA), Brand USA is a non-profit, private-public partnership that assists in financing an international advertising campaign for the United States as a travel destination. Unlike other major travel destinations, the United States’ campaign effort is co-funded by international visitors and contributions from the private sector, not by the taxpayers. Under Brand USA, a $10 fee is assessed once every two years on visa-free international visitors who enter the United States under the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This federal contribution is capped at $100 million a year and requires a matching contribution from the U.S. tourism industry. Under current law, TPA and Brand USA will expire on September 30, 2015. H.R. 4450 seeks to extend these efforts through September 30, 2020. Extending Brand USA’s activities to market the United States as a world travel destination will help our local tourism sector continue to thrive and create jobs.