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US senators agree on $10 tourist levy
WASHINGTON – You may not have heard too much about Myrtle Beach in South Carolina but that all could change as a result of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009.
The US Senate voted last week to create a nonprofit corporation that would market the United States as a tourist destination for international travellers, who will each pay US$10 for the privilege of being targeted by the new promotion body.
US senators were persuaded to introduce the charge to boost a tourism industry that has lost about 20 percent of its international market since the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Not surprisingly, the US travel industry is highly supportive of the bill.
Lawmakers said many international governments aggressively help tourism in their countries by subsidising promotional programmes, but the United States leaves that work up to the private sector and to state and local governments.
One senator held up Australia as an example of good destination marketing expertise. He said, “I think all of us have seen ads about Australia. ‘Arrived with a thousand things on our mind; departed without a care in the world.’
“Just the visual image makes you say: I think I would like to go there. I think I would like to experience that on my next vacation.”
The $10 tourism promotion fee would be linked to the ESTA pre-registration system currently required for all visitors from visa waiver countries.
However, not all the senators agreed with the $10 levy. “Now there is a way to attract more visitors: Charge them for coming here," said Senator Jon Kyl. He added the European Union and other nations might retaliate against Americans travelling overseas.
Other critics have given the proposed promotion organisation the moniker — "Fannie Travel" — in reference to the troubled government-sponsored enterprises established to provide a stable and affordable housing market.
And Myrtle Beach? The town believes $10 tourists could be flocking to South Carolina
“We can’t compete internationally with Orlando, Las Vegas and New York, but for the size of our destination, we do get a significant number of foreign travellers,” said Bill Golden, president of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, a marketing group.
"If executed as they say they will, it (the new tourism marketing corporation) will only assist that effort."
Ian Jarrett
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