Commerce Department’s U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board Seeks Membership Applicants

The Department of Commerce is excited to announce that we are actively seeking candidates to serve on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board).  The Board, established in 2003, serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States.  The Board provides recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce and agencies that are part of the Tourism Policy Council, including the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, and others to ensure that the United States remains the preeminent destination for international inbound travel and tourism.

During the upcoming 2016-2018 term of the Board, members will provide valuable recommendations on implementation of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, as well as to help shape the next National Travel and Tourism Strategy following the 2017 conclusion of the current program of work.

Previous Boards have presented Secretaries of Commerce with important advice on a wide range of policies and issues facing the travel and tourism including ways to reach the National Travel and Tourism Strategy’s goal of attracting 100 million international visitors to the United States by the end of 2021, travel facilitation, visa policy, infrastructure, aviation security, research, energy policy, and economic sustainability.

Commerce is accepting applications for the new two-year term of the Board through May 6, 2016.  The Board will be comprised of up to thirty-two members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce.  Board members shall represent companies and organizations in the travel and tourism sector from a broad range of products and services, company sizes, and geographic locations and shall be drawn from large, medium, and small travel and tourism companies, private-sector organizations involved in the export of travel and tourism-related products and services, and other tourism-related entities.

To learn more about the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, please visit www.trade.gov/TTAB. For full membership criteria and application details, please review the Federal Register notice announcing the opportunity to apply.  If you have questions or comments, please email OACIO@trade.gov.

Kelly Craighead is the Executive Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office.

Li Zhou is the Deputy Director of the Office of Advisory Committees & Industry Outreach and the Executive Secretariat for the Travel and Tourism Board.