Brand USA under threat
Roger Dow, the president and CEO of the US Travel Association, has issued a statement questioning proposals to scrap funding for Brand USA.
The statement was issued after it emerged that plans to eliminate the tourism marketing agency were included in President Donald Trump’s federal budget document.
"With all that’s going on in the world, unilaterally disarming the marketing of the US as a travel destination would be to surrender market share at the worst possible time," said Dow.
"It’s especially perplexing that the elimination of Brand USA is on the table when both commerce secretary Ross and OMB director Mulvaney each have supported it previously."
Dow argued that the creation of Brand USA was a bipartisan effort led by Republicans that passed both chambers by overwhelming majorities.
He said the agency was responsible for adding $8.9 billion to the US economy last year, according to the firm Oxford Economics, a 28-to-1 return on investment.
"Brand USA isn’t funded with a dime of taxpayer money, reduced the deficit by $50 million, and by the OMB’s own accounting eliminating it would put the federal budget further in the red," he continued.
"With international visitation being the country’s number two export supporting 15 million American jobs, we’re struggling to understand how cutting Brand USA squares with this administration’s stated priorities."
Dave Lorenz, vice president travel for the state of Michigan, added his support.
"Brand USA is an important partner with the State of Michigan in our efforts to encourage international leisure travel to Michigan and to the entire Great Lakes area.
"Michigan has benefitted from the highest rate of growth of international travel to any state in the country and much of this success is due to our collaboration with Brand USA.
"We strongly support funding US Customs and Border Patrol operations at appropriate levels while also funding our marketing efforts through the ESTA program.
"All legitimate travellers are welcome to visit the USA and it’s important that we continue to ‘market the welcome’ in an efficient and effective way."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025