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Tourism Promotion Funds Could be Slashed

December 9, 2003

Tourism Promotion Funds Could be Slashed
December 9, 2003 – Tourism promotion funds could be slashed by 80 percent. According to Travel Management Daily, that $50 million in proposed federal funding for marketing the U.S. as an international destination could be cut 80% to $10 million by Congress, tourism leaders said Monday.

The Senate today may consider the entire federal budget that includes the $10 million in tourism funding. But an expected Democratic filibuster could push budget approval into late January, when Congress returns from a winter recess. Members of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board, a 15-member panel formed earlier this year by the Commerce Department, met in Denver Monday to plan a new national marketing campaign in light of the budget restrictions.

The House on Monday passed the bill, which also contains billions of dollars in funding proposals for other agencies and programs. The Senate can vote on the bill today or delay a decision until late January. Either way, the bill cannot be amended. Board members said Monday they will move ahead as planned despite the looming funding issue.

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