National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO): The NTTO at the U.S. Department of Commerce serves as the central point of contact for travel and tourism issues in the federal government and is the federal government’s liaison to Brand USA. Additionally, the NTTO generates the primary source of economic data and market intelligence on international visitation to the United States. The NTTO also provides policy recommendations and coordination across the interagency Tourism Policy Council and with the private sector to support U.S. travel and tourism exports.
Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (TPA): This Act established the Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), a public-private partnership in travel and tourism doing business as “Brand USA.” The alliance between the U.S. government and the U.S. travel and tourism industry enhances the distribution of information on U.S. entry policies and promotes leisure, business, and scholarly travel to and within the United States. Currently, under the Travel Promotion Act, Brand USA can access up to $100 million in federal matching funds to execute its mission based on a one-to-one ratio of public to private funds. Brand USA is active in the top international travel markets for the United States.
Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 (HR 4450): This Act reauthorized the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 through September 30, 2020, and amended other requirements contained within the Act, most of which deal with administrative changes to processes and procedures between the Department of Commerce and the Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA). The Travel Promotion Fund cap remains set at $100 million in federal matching funds, though the ratio was shifted to require a minimum of 30 percent match in cash contributions and the balance in in-kind contributions by the private sector. Brand USA is actively working in more than 30 markets around the globe with fully activated marketing and promotion campaigns aimed at increasing international travel to the United States.
