The U.S. Travel Association is commending President Barack Obama’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which sets a goal of welcoming 100 million international visitors annually by 2021.

"This is a major victory for the travel community, who have demanded more from Washington in recent years and been rewarded with the respect we deserve," said Candice Knezevic, director of grassroots and industry relations at the U.S. Travel Association. "It is a team effort and affirms what can be accomplished when we speak as an industry with a clear message and many voices."

There are three ways you can take action:

• Use industry talking points to issue a press release commending the administration.
• Spread the message through your social media channels. You can follow what is being said on Twitter (@ustravel) and Facebook.
• Cast your vote for Travel. Text the word “Travel” to 877877 or sign up at www.votetravel.org. 

The national strategy includes:

Expanding the government’s promotional efforts to market the United States as a destination: 

This will include greater visibility of travel and tourism by senior officials, using technology and data resources more effectively, and coordinating with Brand USA to promote international travel to the U.S.

Enabling and enhancing greater facilitation of travel to and within the U.S.: 

This includes taking action to expand the Visa Waiver Program, improving visa processing, expanding the trusted traveler program and improving screening processes at airports and using grants to improve transportation infrastructure.

"What matters most is not what’s spelled out in this document, it’s what industry and government will do together to put the strategy into action," Knezevic said. "We will continue to do our part by working hand-in-hand with you to restore the U.S. as the world’s No. 1 travel destination."

CEOs from the nation’s largest travel companies met with senior Obama administration officials in the White House last week to express support for U.S. President Obama’s national travel and tourism strategy and urged policies and initiatives that would further economic growth and job creation in the nation’s US$1.9 trillion travel industry, which supports 14.4 million U.S. jobs.

“President Obama’s call for a national travel and tourism strategy was one of the most significant developments for our industry in the past decade,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The travel industry has the ability—and stands ready—to quickly hire many of the unemployed workers in our country, but to do that we must have policies in place that increase travel to and within the United States. This Administration and most in Congress understand that, and we look forward to bipartisan support for legislation that supports America’s travel industry.”

In January, Obama issued an executive order that called for the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and the establishment of visa and international visitor processing goals. Those goals include an increase of non-immigrant visa processing capacity by China and Brazil by 40 percent over the coming year and ensuring that 80 percent of non-immigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of application.

“We strongly urge the Administration to work with the House and Senate leadership to schedule a vote on the bipartisan JOLT Act, which expands the Visa Waiver Program and codifies a two-week standard for processing non-immigrant visas,” Dow said.

VWP countries are the largest source of inbound travel to the U.S. In 2011, more than 18 million visitors to the U.S.—nearly two-thirds of all overseas visitors—arrived through the VWP. While here, they spent $69 billion, supported 525,000 American jobs and generated $13 billion in payroll and $11 billion in government tax revenues. The number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle classes—such as China, Brazil and India—is projected to grow by 135 percent, 274 percent and 50 percent respectively by 2016 when compared to 2010.

The CEOs at the White House meeting represent billion-dollar corporations in the travel industry. They were in Washington for the U.S. Travel Association’s CEO Roundtable, a bi-annual meeting to discuss industry issues and national policy initiatives.

Paper books (hard copy) are still alive and well.  What better way to browse through them than in an inspiring setting such as these bookstores?  I've been to Powell's (massive!).  Our family always seeks out bookstores and libraries on our travels.  Now I have some additional destinations to consider. Maybe I should add the rest of these to my bucket list!  Have you been to any of these?  

Irish Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar says he will abolish a €3 visitor tax in order to bring tourist numbers to previous healthy levels, according to the Independent. In return for addressing the tax, which has been blamed by airlines for a substantial loss in business, he wants operators such as Aer Lingus and Ryanair to reopen previously shelved services.

Varadkar believes the tourism sector--the U.S. and U.K. segments in particular--should be able to capitalize on a visit by Britain's Queen Elizabeth in May and a rumored visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, the paper says.