A Message from New Orleans CVB President and CEO Stephen Perry - August 8, 2011

A Message from New Orleans CVB President and CEO Stephen Perry - August 8, 2011

Last week the U.S. Senate passed legislation temporarily restoring full funding to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), breaking a political impasse and allowing roughly 4,000 furloughed federal employees to return to work. Passage of the bill also promises to restore tens of thousands of jobs in the construction industry and elsewhere tied to airport improvement projects put on hold as a result of the funding shortfall.

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) applauds the efforts of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), senior Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and President Obama to pass this legislation.

The bill now goes to President Obama who is expected to sign it into law. To view the White House blog, click here.

The CVB joined our partners at the U.S. Travel Association in cosigning a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Commerce Committee urging an immediate resolution to disagreements over FAA funding.

Since this legislation fills a stop gap for six weeks, the travel industry will need to urge Congress to resolve their differences and pass a complete reauthorization bill this September. A call to action will be forthcoming.

Civil aviation and airport infrastructure is critical to the travel industry, which generated $1.8 trillion in economic output and supported 14.1 million jobs in 2010. Earlier this year, the U.S. Travel Association estimated that enacting a long-term FAA reauthorization bill could add $17 billion in travel spending back into the U.S. economy. This spending can support more than 155,000 jobs in the travel industry including lodging, food services, amusement, recreation and retail industries.

For the latest news, please visit http://www.ustravel.org/government-affairs.

Thanks for your support.

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nationally accredited, 1,000-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. We create $5 billion in new capital each year— more than any other business sector— by attracting millions of visitors, special events and conventions. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and four foreign countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.