SHAHEEN MEETS WITH TOP U.S. TRAVEL REPRESENTATIVES, PROMOTES NEW HAMPSHIRE TOURISM

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met with CEO’s of major travel companies today at a Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee meeting to promote travel and tourism in the United States and New Hampshire. Shaheen has long been a champion of nontraditional and rural travel destinations and the USTA’s efforts in building Brand USA, a public-private partnership established to increase foreign travel to the United States.

Brand USA was established in 2010 through the Travel Promotion Act, legislation which Shaheen cosponsored. The bill increased global marketing to attract foreign travelers to come to the United States.

“It was great to meet so many leaders of the U.S. travel industry who are committed to promoting tourism and travel in the United States,” Shaheen said following the meeting. “In New Hampshire, we know the importance of tourism well. The tourism and travel industry is a critical driver of our economy, representing the second largest industry in the state and supporting over 60,000 jobs statewide. I am looking forward to continued work with the U.S. Travel Association to bring new travelers to the United States, grow our travel sector, and bolster economic growth.”

Shaheen has been a longtime advocate of the tourism and travel industry which is one of the top 10 industries in 48 states and supports over 14 million American jobs. She has cosponsored multiple piece of legislation in the Senate to bolster this industry, including the Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act, which would clear visa backlogs and make it easier for foreign visitors to travel to the United States.