Travel Promotion Act of 2009

The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 is a law creating a public-private partnership Corporation for Travel Promotion (recently renamed Brand USA ) in the United States and charge non-U.S. tourists staying fewer than 90 days in the United States with a fee of $10. The money collected from travelers will be spent for advertising to get tourists to visit the United States. Harry Reid supports the bill as his constituency has seen a decline in visitor numbers.^{[citation needed]} The House passed the bill by a vote of 358-66 in October 2009, and the Senate followed on February 25, 2010 with a vote of 78-18. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on March 4, 2010.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection have announced they will level an additional $4 fee (brings the total to $14) for visitors to the United States for the cost of processing these payments.

The reactions of the European Union have been harsh and suggestions of a similar fee have been raised on grounds of reciprocity.

Brand USA

Brand USA (formerly Corporation for Travel Promotion) gets matching funds from the federal government equivalent to what it raises from the private sector, not to exceed a maximum of $100 million.

References

• Travel Promotion Act from the rpc.senate.gov
• EU Ambassador John Bruton: Statement On The Travel Promotion Act Of 2009 (internet archive), June 2009
• Interim rule by US Customs to levy an additional $4 fee.