Congressman Farr Sends Letter to White House Requesting Support of Travel in Oil Spill Aftermath

June 16, 2010

 

FARR CALLS ON WHITE HOUSE TO SUPPORT TRAVEL INDUSTRY IN OIL SPILL AFTERMATH

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Sam Farr (D- California), co-chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and long-time supporter of travel and tourism, sent a letter on Tuesday to the White House requesting that President Obama "highlight the need for economic relief for the tourism industry" for damage caused by the BP oil spill.

"The tourism industry in the Gulf states alone contributes around $13 billion toward the nation’s GDP," Rep. Farr said before the president’s Tuesday evening speech. "If we’re going to protect those who have been harmed by this oil spill, we must address the damage done to the travel and tourism industry."

In the letter, Farr requested that President Obama highlight the need for economic relief for the tourism industry and compel BP to pay for lost wages for the hundreds and thousands of Gulf Coast residents whose livelihoods have been affected by the oil spill. He stated that in the Gulf Coast region, the economic wellbeing of whole communities reliant on tourism are under immediate threat at a time that is traditionally the height of their earnings.

Farr specifically asked for President Obama to do three things in his speech from the Oval Office Tuesday night:

• Talk about the impact of the oil spill on the tourism industry.
• Let Americans know the Gulf Coast tourism industry is open for business.
• Compel BP to expeditiously process claims for economic relief for tourism and related industries.

Finally, Farr asked the President to consider taking a family vacation in the Gulf Coast region.

Congressman Farr is a long-time supporter of travel and tourism and the initial sponsor of the Congressional TRIP Act, a bill that would provide marketing grants ranging from $100,000 to $1 million dollars to DMOs.