Secretary Evans Convenes Meeting of Cabinet Secretaries to Address Travel and Tourism Industry Recovery Efforts

Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans today convened and chaired a meeting of the Tourism Policy Council (TPC) to address the continuing impact of September 11th on the American travel and tourism industry. Joining him were the Secretaries of Transportation, Interior, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, as well as senior-level representatives from select executive agencies and departments.

"This administration is committed to getting rid of the terrorists and bringing back the tourists," said Evans. "The Tourism Policy Council says to travelers and those who work in the travel and tourism industry that this Administration means business when it comes to their business."

The TPC was originally established in 1981 and was re-authorized by Congress in 1996 but has not met since 1997. The reestablishment of the TPC comes as a result of recommendations made by the travel and tourism industry and the White House Domestic Consequences Policy Council following the events of September 11, 2001.

The Tourism Policy Council is an interagency committee established by law to ensure that the nation's tourism interests are considered in federal decision-making. Its major function is to coordinate national policies and programs relating to travel and tourism, recreation, and national heritage resources that involve federal agencies. A fact sheet detailing TPC members is attached.

The Tourism Policy Council meeting - among those attending (from right to left) Secretary Norman Mineta (DOT), Secretary Elaine Chao (DOL), Secretary Don Evans (DOC), Secretary Gale Norton (Interior), Administrator Hector Barreto (SBA), and (opposite of Secretary Evans) Commissioner James Ziglar (INS).

TOURISM POLICY COUNCIL BACKGROUNDER

October 29, 2001

The Tourism Policy Council (TPC) is an interagency committee established by law for the purpose of ensuring that the nation's tourism interests are considered in Federal decision-making. Its major function is to coordinate national policies and programs relating to international travel and tourism, recreation, and national heritage resources that involve Federal agencies. The TPC, originally established in 1981, was reauthorized by the U.S. National Tourism Organization Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 2124). Until today, the TPC hasn't met since 1997.

TPC History
In 1995, the TPC completed its federal strategy for tourism development titled Putting the Pieces Together. The Council found that there were over 170 programs scattered throughout 30 federal agencies that had some effect on tourism development. The 1995 strategy was designed to coordinate fragmented programs and make the best use of federal resources for the largest contribution possible to tourism development. The 1995 federal strategy defined a revised role of the federal government in tourism development, emphasizing coordination among Federal agencies.

The 1995 White House Conference on Travel and Tourism (WHCTT) set out additional priorities for federal policy toward the industry. Following the conclusion of that session, the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration (USTTA), the major federal agency responsible for tourism development in this country, was closed in early 1996. With this closure, the federal government no longer focuses its efforts on advertising the United States abroad as a travel destination. Instead the U.S. National Tourism Act of 1996 authorized the Secretary of Commerce to continue the vital federal functions of collecting and disseminating international traveler research, providing forecasts, assessing economic impact, overseeing the policy functions, representing travel and tourism interests intergovernmentally, and offering technical assistance for expanding exports of travel and tourism. These are all performed through the current USDOC/ITA/TD Tourism Industries office.

TPC Membership:
Under the legislation, the following officials sit on the TPC :

• The Secretary of Commerce (chair)
• The Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
• The Director of the Office of Management and Budget
• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Interior
• The Secretary of Labor
• The Secretary of Transportation
• The Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service
• The President of the U.S. National Tourism Organization (organization now defunct)
• The Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service

  In addition, the legislation provides for the participation of other representatives of Federal agencies "...that have affected interests at each meeting as deemed appropriate and invited by the Chairman." Additional representatives slated to be invited on a regular basis include:

• The Secretary of the Treasury (in addition to Commissioner of U.S. Customs Service)
• The Attorney General (in addition to the Commissioner of the INS)
• The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (in addition to Secy of Transport.)
• The Administrator of the Small Business Administration
• The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (White House - EOP)
• The Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (White House - EOP)
• The Deputy Assistant to the President, Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives (White House - EOP)
• The Assistant to the Vice President for Domestic Policy (OVP)