Washington, DC – Following President Barack Obama’s announcement of a national strategy to make the U.S. the world’s top destination, the U.S. Commerce Department unveiled its new Travel & Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB). Those appointed include trade show industry executives Rossi Ralenkotter, president & CEO, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority; Carol Wallace, president & CEO, San Diego Convention Center Corp.; J. Stephen Perry, president & CEO, New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Elliott Ferguson, president & CEO, Destination DC, Washington, DC. They will serve a two-year term from 2012 to 2014.
The previous board delivered major policy recommendations on promoting and facilitating travel as well as data and research. Ralenkotter was TTAB chair from 2009 to 2011 and Perry served on the board. See a summary of board’s report in September 2011: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/ttab/docs/TrvlTourAdvisyBord_Thumb_NEWSMALL.pdf
Going forward, the board will develop the country’s first-ever national travel and tourism strategy and execute President Obama’s corresponding executive order to make it easier for international visitors to travel to the United States. The U.S. travel industry generates 1.8 trillion in economic output and supports 14 million American jobs, according to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA).
The travel and tourism industry is one of the nation’s leading service sectors and source of exports. However, the U.S. market share of spending by international travelers fell from 17% to 11% of the global market from 2000 to 2010, which was more than a 30% decrease in the U.S. share of the global market. See http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/19/executive-order-establishing-visa-and-foreign-visitor-processing-goals-a
For a complete list of TTAB members, go to: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/ttab/TTAB_Home.html
Reach Rossi Ralenkotter at (702) 892-0711 or rralenkotter@lvcva.com; Stephen Perry at (504) 566-5049 or sperry@neworleanscvb.com; Carol Wallace at (619) 525-5000 or carol.wallace@visitsandiego.com; and Elliot Ferguson at (202) 789-7014 or elliott.ferguson@destinationdc.com
