Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels
Jonathan Tisch, co-chair of the board, Loews Corporation and chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels, served as a witness before the Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The hearing, “Tourism in America: Moving Our Economy Forward,” focused on the travel industry’s impact on the U.S. economy.
Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a long-time champion of the lodging industry, called the hearing to highlight the opportunity for the U.S. to create jobs and bolster the economy by attracting international travelers. Senate Commerce Committee Chair John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Subcommittee Ranking Member, echoed the sentiment and expressed continued support for making international travelers a top priority in order to grow the economy and create U.S. jobs.
Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a long-time champion of the lodging industry, called the hearing to highlight the opportunity for the U.S. to create jobs and bolster the economy by attracting international travelers. Senate Commerce Committee Chair John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Subcommittee Ranking Member, echoed the sentiment and expressed continued support for making international travelers a top priority in order to grow the economy and create U.S. jobs.
Focusing on how the government and private sector can partner to increase foreign visitation, Tisch described how various policies directly impact his business. His remarks called for supporting the work of Brand USA in attracting international visitors, reforming the bureaucratic visa processing system, and investing in infrastructure to accommodate additional incoming international visitors.
“America’s travel industry is responsible for generating nearly $1.8 trillion of economic output annually and directly employing 7.5 million Americans,” said Tisch. “The economic stakes here are truly enormous. Our government should establish a national goal of reclaiming our share of the international travel market.”
Promoting travel and tourism remains one of AH&LA’s highest priorities. The Discover America Partnership, a lobbying and grassroots campaign co-chaired by AH&LA, is working to advance visa and entry reforms in order to regain the share of the international traveler market the United States held in 2000. By recapturing America’s historic share of international travel, the U.S. could create up to 1.3 million new U.S. jobs by 2020 and produce $859 billion in cumulative additional economic output.
AH&LA and The Discover America Partnership will continue to work closely with members of Congress and their staffers to highlight the opportunity presented by bringing more international travelers to the United States. This hearing was the second in a series to bring this bipartisan, low-cost, and jobs-creating solution to the forefront of the debate.
In addition to Tisch, Jim Evans, CEO of Brand USA, Inc.; John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota Tourism; and Jonathan Zuk, vice chairman of Receptive Services Association of America, also participated on the panel.
“America’s travel industry is responsible for generating nearly $1.8 trillion of economic output annually and directly employing 7.5 million Americans,” said Tisch. “The economic stakes here are truly enormous. Our government should establish a national goal of reclaiming our share of the international travel market.”
Promoting travel and tourism remains one of AH&LA’s highest priorities. The Discover America Partnership, a lobbying and grassroots campaign co-chaired by AH&LA, is working to advance visa and entry reforms in order to regain the share of the international traveler market the United States held in 2000. By recapturing America’s historic share of international travel, the U.S. could create up to 1.3 million new U.S. jobs by 2020 and produce $859 billion in cumulative additional economic output.
AH&LA and The Discover America Partnership will continue to work closely with members of Congress and their staffers to highlight the opportunity presented by bringing more international travelers to the United States. This hearing was the second in a series to bring this bipartisan, low-cost, and jobs-creating solution to the forefront of the debate.
In addition to Tisch, Jim Evans, CEO of Brand USA, Inc.; John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota Tourism; and Jonathan Zuk, vice chairman of Receptive Services Association of America, also participated on the panel.
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