Fair Labor Standards Act, Visa Issues Highlight CrossSphere Legislative Agenda

January 27, 2005

Fair Labor Standards Act, Visa Issues Highlight CrossSphere Legislative Agenda
Contact:
Sara Morton
sara.morton@CrossSphere.com
800-682-8886, ext. 4418

January 27, 2005

Fair Labor Standards Act, Visa Issues Highlight CrossSphere Legislative Agenda

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The CrossSphere Board of Directors selected the association’s government relations priority issues during its Jan. 23 board meeting in Costa Mesa, Calif. The issues were determined by a survey of CrossSphere tour operators and reviewed by the association’s Government Relations Committee.

The eight-point agenda runs from security issues (border crossing/security procedures and processes) to legislative issues (state/local/provincial travel laws and regulations, travel industry taxes and regulations) to access to National Parks access and ticketing issues.

The CrossSphere Board also cited the importance of working with the newly created assistant to the secretary for the private sector and tourism as a priority issue, as CrossSphere was the driving force behind the creation of this position within the Department of Homeland Security. The association also will step up efforts to clarify the employment status of tour directors by working with the Department of Labor.

The monitoring of nonprofits engaged in for-profit tour business and U.S. inbound visa issues round out the association’s list of priorities.

"This is certainly the most wide-ranging and ambitious agenda CrossSphere has undertaken in my 20 years with the association," CrossSphere Legislative Counsel Jim Santini said. "With the help and assistance of the Government Relations Committee and our Grassroots Action Network, we will make 2005 our most successful year yet."

CrossSphere President Hank Phillips, CTP, added, "The breadth of CrossSphere’s legislative agenda highlights the association’s commitment to providing value to our diverse membership. We look forward to working with our sister associations on these issues and to keep the packaged travel industry healthy and growing in 2005."

CrossSphere – The Global Association for Packaged Travel, is an organization of nearly 4,000 tourism professionals involved in the growth and development of the packaged travel industry. CrossSphere is made up of members from 25 countries and is committed to providing business opportunities and knowledge to its members, while offering a collaborative, caring environment in which to build relationships. For more information, please visit http://www.crosssphere.com/.

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