Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
industry: airlines, attractions, hotels and motels, travel agents, tour operators and brokers, convention
and visitors bureaus, state government travel of
ces, area and regional tourism organizations, food
service establishments, auto rental companies, intercity bus and rail lines, cruise lines, and other
segments of what is known today as the travel industry.
U.S. Travel serves the industry through a number of programs that market and promote the U.S.
travel experience, both abroad and at home: by furnishing research, publications, and reports for and
about the industry as well as U.S. and international travelers; by providing strategic leadership for the
industry in the U.S. business community and in matters of government at all levels; through its
councils and committees that represent speci
c components of the industry; with its foundation,
which
finances research and scholarships in the area of travel and tourism; and through its nearly half-
century-old awards program that honors achievements by both individuals and organizations within
the travel and tourism industry.
The current mission of the U.S. Travel is to represent the whole of the U.S. travel industry
to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. U.S. Travel has
seven goals:
1.
Promote a wider understanding of travel and tourism as a major industry that contributes to the
economic, cultural, and social well being of the nation (visit
www.poweroftravel.org
).
2.
Develop, coordinate, and implement the industry
'
s umbrella marketing efforts to promote travel
to and within the United States.
3.
Pursue and in
uence policies, programs, and legislation that are responsive to the needs of the
industry as a whole.
4.
Improve domestic and international travelers
experience, including gaining access to, arriving in,
traveling within, and departing the United States.
'
5.
Enhance U.S. Travel's position as the authoritative source for travel industry information and
research of the industry as a whole.
6.
Promote travel industry cohesion and provide communication forums for industry leaders.
7.
Leverage resources to develop and execute programs that bene
t the travel industry, such as
TravelCom, ESTO (Educational Seminar for TourismOrganizations), and the Travel Outlook Forum.
s industry councils provide a uni
ed voice for segments of the industry that enables
them to address legislative issues of mutual concern, carry out educational programs unique to their
industry components, and offer guidance in the development of U.S. Travel policies and programs.
Each of the councils is described brie
y.
The National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD), formed in 1969, was the
first of the
national councils to be established under the umbrella of U.S. Travel. Its purpose is to provide a forum
for state tourism directors to exchange ideas and information on matters common to state and
territorial tourism of
ces and to develop uni
ed positions on industry issues at the national level.
Although there is great diversity among the states and territories in terms of speci
c needs and
priorities, there are a number of common concerns in such areas as education, communication,
marketing, research, and public affairs where NCSTD serves as a catalyst for developing programs that
bene
t all states and territories and, therefore, the entire U.S. travel industry.
The National Council of Destination Organizations (NCDO) was originally established in 1976
as the National Council of Area and Regional Tourism Organizations (CARTO). In 1999, as a result
of a merger with the National Council of Urban Tourism Organizations (NCUTO), the NCDO was
created. This council represents more than 400 U.S. Travel member destination marketing
organizations whose concern is the promotion and facilitation of travel to and within that
speci
c area or region. NCDO provides a forum and communications network for professionals
from these organizations to address matters common to their speci
c areas of interest and to
develop consensus positions on national issues.
U.S. Travel
'
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