Bilirakis Receives Input from Local Travel and Tourism Businesses

Springhill, FL: Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis met with small business owners from throughout the Tampa Bay area whose businesses are linked to the travel and tourism industry. The Congressman specifically wanted to continue to follow the experiences our local small businesses in this sector have endured in their most trying times. The Congressman asked these small business owners to share the challenges they faced, the opportunities they seized, and how they felt Congress can best help them move forward as they seek to realize their businesses' full potential.

"I am encouraged by the fact that Florida welcomed 36 million visitors during Quarter 1 of this year," said Bilirakis. "That tells me that people are realizing we are open for business, and we have a great deal to offer. However, my goal is to ensure that no one gets left behind. I want to help the industry fully rebound from the pandemic-related struggles it has faced over the past two years and address the hardships all business have faced with respect to record high inflation, surging gas prices, a critical workforce shortage and supply chain disruptions.As we seek to restore our way of life and fully recover, we cannot overlook the work that must be done to renew this powerful engine of economic growth for communities across the nation."

As Co-Chairman of the Travel and Tourism Caucus in Congress, Congressman Bilirakis understands the important role that tourism has on our local, state and national economy. Historically, this has been a flourishing industry, bringing millions of international travelers to the U.S., contributing billions of dollars to local economies, and creating countless American jobs. However, the travel and tourism industry was one of the hardest hit sectors of the economy during the pandemic. In 2019, Florida hosted 131 million visitors, who spent $99 billion. The pandemic reduced spending in the industry by over 43% in 2020, and during that span international travel to the US fell by over 80%. Congressman Bilirakis's Restoring Brand USA legislation was recently signed into law, which will be a boon to the sector. Brand USA has proven itself as a successful catalyst for spurring international tourism to the US. That catalyst is needed now more than ever to help rebuild the industry and foster job growth. Bilirakis's bill will help us achieve that goal without utilizing taxpayer money. It will release dollars already collected for the program to help restore our travel and tourism industry. The Restoring Brand USA Act authorizes $250 million in funding from the U.S. Treasury's Travel Promotion Fund to support the Brand USA Program over the next three years. This infusion of funding will enable the program to ramp up post-pandemic promotion of the United States as an ideal destination for international tourism. It also pauses the existing program requirement for matching funds from private industry as the sector seeks to rebound.

There is also an urgent need for Department of Commerce to make rebuilding tourism a focal point. The Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, on which Bilirakis serves as the Ranking Member, recently considered H.R. 7820, a bill to further assist the travel and tourism industry by requiring the Department of Commerce to develop a 10-year travel and tourism strategy with annual goals for the number of international visitors to the United States. This important legislation will be a boost to the industry.