News Travel Execs W<strong>in</strong> Obama’s Support at White House Meet<strong>in</strong>g By Hil Anderson, senior editor Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, DC – A delegation of travel <strong>in</strong>dustry executives met with President Obama <strong>in</strong> March to firm up <strong>the</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istration’s support for tourism and bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel and came away conv<strong>in</strong>ced he was on <strong>the</strong> right page. “The travel community has an ally <strong>in</strong> President Obama and we appreciate <strong>the</strong> leadership he <strong>in</strong>tends to br<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g travel to, and with<strong>in</strong>, <strong>the</strong> United States,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of <strong>the</strong> U.S. Travel Association (USTA), after <strong>the</strong> March 11 meet<strong>in</strong>g at <strong>the</strong> White House. Dow was part of a 12-member delegation of executives that <strong>in</strong>cluded Col<strong>in</strong> Reed, chairman and CEO of Gaylord Enterta<strong>in</strong>ment, and Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and chairman emeritus of <strong>the</strong> USTA. “Travel will play a critical role <strong>in</strong> driv<strong>in</strong>g America’s economic recovery,” Tisch said. “We are pleased to have <strong>the</strong> support of President Obama and his team.” A major item on <strong>the</strong> agenda was <strong>the</strong> need for Congress to promptly pass <strong>the</strong> Travel Promotion Act, which would create and fund a not-for-profit group that would promote travel to <strong>the</strong> U.S. and provide <strong>in</strong>formation for visitors as <strong>the</strong>y navigate <strong>the</strong> visa process. The red tape <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a visa for <strong>in</strong>ternational attendees and exhibitors has been a long-runn<strong>in</strong>g headache for U.S. trade show organizers. The USTA has been at <strong>the</strong> forefront of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry response to <strong>the</strong> president’s now-<strong>in</strong>famous remark at a town hall meet<strong>in</strong>g last month that employees of companies receiv<strong>in</strong>g Federal f<strong>in</strong>ancial assistance under <strong>the</strong> Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) “can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to <strong>the</strong> Super Bowl on <strong>the</strong> taxpayer’s dime.” The statement irked not only Las Vegas but <strong>the</strong> entire meet<strong>in</strong>gs and exhibition <strong>in</strong>dustry. It was seen as a warn<strong>in</strong>g that bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel was now be<strong>in</strong>g considered an unnecessary extravagance that should be scaled back even by companies that were not receiv<strong>in</strong>g Federal funds. The <strong>in</strong>dustry The President’s Ear. President Obama (right, second from bottom) listens as members of a delegation led by <strong>the</strong> U.S. Travel Association urge <strong>the</strong> White House to support travel to events. The delegation was conv<strong>in</strong>ced Obama had no desire to crimp bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel. has responded with a public relations campaign rem<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g lawmakers and <strong>the</strong> media that <strong>the</strong> travel <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> general provides jobs and that bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel <strong>in</strong> particular is a necessary activity to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> economy. At <strong>the</strong> March 12 White House press brief<strong>in</strong>g, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama never <strong>in</strong>tended to criticize travel <strong>in</strong> general. “The president believes it’s important to have a strong tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry and that it’s important, as he said late last week, that we shouldn’t retrench or pull back; that he would encourage people to travel.” The delegation led by <strong>the</strong> USTA also <strong>in</strong>cluded: Jim Abrahamson, president, <strong>the</strong> Americas, IHG; Jim Atchison, president and COO, Busch Enterta<strong>in</strong>ment Corp.; Jeff Clarke, CEO and president, Travelport; Howard Frank, vice chairman and COO, Carnival Corporation & plc; Barney Harford, president and CEO, Orbitz Worldwide; W. Stephen Maritz, chairman and CEO, Maritz Hold<strong>in</strong>gs Inc; Bill Marriott, chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc.; Jay Rasulo, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO, Starwood Hotels and Resorts; and Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts. Reach Roger Dow at (202) 408-8422 or rdow@ustravel.org Presidential Meet<strong>in</strong>g Participants • Roger Dow, President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association • Jonathan M. Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels; Chairman Emeritus, U.S. Travel Association • Jim Abrahamson, President, <strong>the</strong> Americas, IHG • Jim Atchison, President & COO, Busch Enterta<strong>in</strong>ment Corp. • Jeff Clarke, President & CEO, Travelport • Howard Frank, Vice Chairman & COO, Carnival Corporation & plc • Barney Harford, President & CEO, Orbitz Worldwide • W. Stephen Maritz, Chairman & CEO, Maritz Hold<strong>in</strong>gs Inc. • Bill Marriott, Chairman & CEO, Marriott International, Inc. • Frits van Paasschen, President, CEO & Director, Starwood Hotels and Resorts • Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts • Col<strong>in</strong> Reed, Chairman & CEO, Gaylord Enterta<strong>in</strong>ment • Tom Williams, Chairman & CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 10 8 <strong>April</strong> <strong>2009</strong> <strong>Trade</strong> <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> www.<strong>Trade</strong><strong>Show</strong><strong>Executive</strong>.com
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