Growing Travel Industry Jobs

Floor Speech

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Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, during Small Business Week here in the House, it is timely that we speak about what we need to do to help American businesses increase their revenues, hire more workers, and grow profits that support our economy.

The travel industry is an economic powerhouse in the United States, with nearly $2.9 trillion annually in economic activity. The U.S. ranks behind Spain and France in global competition for travel. China, India, and Saudi Arabia are gaining on us. Our market share is 9.1 percent, but we can generate 127 million new additional visitors over the next decade and $478 billion in additional revenue, which translates into $55 billion in tax revenue, creating 140,000 new jobs.

With upcoming marquee events like the Ryder Cup, the FIFA World Cup, and the Summer Olympics, we need to be investing in systems to make the experience seamless. This means updating airplane screening technology, modernizing TSA, full-strength staffing at Customs and Border Protection, and extensive marketing efforts. New York City, which I represent in part, is a major worldwide tourist destination.

There is still time to build this industry to make us the best in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the U.S. Travel Association for leading the way.

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