I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3484 

To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a competitive grant program 

to promote domestic regional tourism. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2011 

Mr. FARR (for himself, Ms. BERKLEY, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. 

CICILLINE, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. OLVER, Mr. 

DICKS, and Mr. REYES) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a competitive grant program to promote domestic regional tourism. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Travel Regional Invest5 ment Partnership Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The importance of travel and tourism can2 not be overstated. Travel and tourism employs 

3 America. 

4 (2) Approximately 7,720,000 domestic jobs de5 pend on the travel and tourism industry. 

6 (3) The travel and tourism industry accounts 

7 for 2.8 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic prod8 uct. 

9 (4) The travel and tourism industry generates 

10 $1,300,000,000,000 in total expenditures. 

11 (5) The travel and tourism industry lost 

12 392,000 jobs in 2009. 

13 (6) In 2009, tourism output declined by 

14 $100,000,000,000. 

15 (7) Total direct tourism employment decreased 

16 by 0.5 percent in 2010. 

17 (8) Public-private partnerships have been un18 derutilized in the promotion of travel and tourism 

19 and are a dynamic tool in creating new domestic 

20 tourism markets and promoting domestic regional 

21 tourism growth. 

22 SEC. 3. DOMESTIC REGIONAL TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM. 

23 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

24 a competitive grant program, to be administered by the 

25 Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, to promote doVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:24 Nov 22, 2011 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3484.IH H3484

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1 mestic regional tourism growth and new domestic tourism 

2 market creation. 

3 (b) RANGE OF GRANT MONETARY AMOUNTS.—The 

4 amount of each grant awarded under this section shall be 

5 not less than $100,000 and not more than $1,000,000. 

6 (c) GRANTEE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 

7 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Grants may be 

8 awarded under this section to— 

9 (A) State tourism offices; 

10 (B) local destination marketing organiza11 tions; and 

12 (C) partnerships between a State or local 

13 government and local tourism entities. 

14 (2) REGIONAL DIVERSITY.—In awarding grants 

15 under this section, the Secretary may consider— 

16 (A) giving priority to regions with low con17 tributions to tourism marketing; 

18 (B) maintaining regional diversity of grant 

19 recipients; and 

20 (C) providing benefits to rural and less21 marketed destinations. 

22 (3) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under 

23 this section may be used to— 

24 (A) promote domestic regional tourism 

25 growth; and 


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1 (B) create new domestic tourism markets. 

2 (4) APPLICATION PROCESS.— 

3 (A) SUBMISSION.—An eligible entity seek4 ing a grant under this section shall submit an 

5 application to the Secretary at such time, in 

6 such form, and with such information and as7 surances as the Secretary may require. 

8 (B) CONTENTS.—Each application sub9 mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include— 

10 (i) a description of the tourist pro11 motion activities to be funded by the grant; 

12 and 

13 (ii) in the case of a partnership be14 tween a State or local government and 

15 local tourism entities— 

16 (I) a list of the specific tourist 

17 entities that such government has 

18 partnered with to promote tourism 

19 within the relevant domestic region; 

20 (II) the details of the partnership 

21 agreement; 

22 (III) specific information explain23 ing how such partnership will increase 

24 regional tourism; and 


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1 (IV) the anticipated positive im2 pact of the partnership on job cre3 ation and employment in the relevant 

4 domestic region. 

5 (d) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.— 

6 (1) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—As a condition for 

7 receiving a grant under this section, the grant recipi8 ent shall provide, either directly or through dona9 tions from public or private entities, non-Federal 

10 matching funds, in cash or in-kind, in an amount 

11 equal to the amount of the grant. 

12 (2) SPECIAL RULE FOR IN-KIND DONATIONS.— 

13 Of the amount of non-Federal matching funds re14 quired under paragraph (1), not more than 25 per15 cent may be provided through in-kind contributions. 

16 (e) REPORTS.—Not later than 6 months after the last 

17 day of each fiscal year in which grants are awarded by 

18 the Secretary under this section, the Secretary shall sub19 mit a report to Congress that details— 

20 (1) travel-generated expenditures; 

21 (2) travel-generated tax receipts; and 

22 (3) travel-generated employment. 

23 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) LOCAL TOURIST ENTITY.—The term ‘‘local 

2 tourist entity’’ means any public or private sector 

3 business engaged in tourism-related activities. 

4 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

5 the Secretary of Commerce. 

6 (g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

7 authorized to be appropriated, for each of the first 5 fiscal 

8 years beginning after the date of the enactment of this 

9 Act, $10,000,000, which shall be used for grants under 

10 this section and shall remain available until expended. 

Æ 


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