U.S. Department of Transportat ion ONice of t he Secretary of Transportation



### Mr. Roger J. 

### Dow President and CEO U.S. Travel Association 1I00 New York Avenue, NW Suite 450 Washington, DC 20005-3934 Dear Mr. Dow: Assistant Secretary


## MAR 

## 21 2014 1200 New J e rsey Ave n ue . SE Was h i ngto n , DC 205 90



### Thank you for your letter to Secretary Foxx regarding the application ofNorwegian Air International Limited (NAI) for authority to conduct U.S. services. I am responding on behalf of the Secretary. Given that a number of interested parties have filed responsive pleadings to NAI's application and this matter is currently pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the merits ofNAI's application. I assure you, however, that we will give full and careful consideration to all ofthe pleadings filed on the record before we reach a detem1ination in this matter. As is our standard practice, r am placing a copy of your letter and my response in Docket DOT

-OST-2013-0204, as a contact outside the record of this case. You may track the progress ofthis case and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessing the Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations .gov and s earching for Docket DOT-OST-20 13-0204. I hope this information is helpful.

510-140211-024 

### Sincerely yours,

Susan 

### L. Kurland Assistant Secretar y for Aviation and International Affairs

# U.S. TRAVEL ASS OCI AT February 6, 2014 The Honorable And1ony R. Foxx Secretary U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary Foxx: 

## 0 N

The U.S. Travel Association, a national non-profit representing all aspects of the American travel industry, supports Norwegian Air International's (NAI) foreign air carrier permit application, currently pending before the Department ofTransportation (DOT). If approved, the new low-cost transatlantic air service provided by NAI would increase inbound international travel, boost U.S. exports, and provide new ladders of opportunity for Americans by creating travel jobs. In 2012, direct travel spending in the U.S. exceeded S855 billion, which generated a total of $2.0 trillion in economic output and supported 14.6 million American jobs. Travel is among the top 10 employers in 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Inbound international travel is our country's top setvices export, and through d1e first eleven months of 2013, travel exports increased 8.9 percent, a growth rate nearly fo
. ur times greater tl1an other exports. The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) projects international travel to the United States from Eastern Europe will grow by 56 percent between 2013 and 2018, and NAI can help d1e U.S. achieve this forecasted growth. NAI has recently begun operating service from Europe to Fort Lauderdale and New York City, and plans to provide new service to Oakland, Orlando and Los Angeles. In 2012, President Barack Obama established a national goal of attracting 100 million international visitors by 2021-an influx that would add S250 billion to our economy each year. The new, air service proposed by NAI will help achieve the President's goal by bringing thousands of additional overseas visitors to the U.S. each year. For every 33 overseas travelers that visit the U.S., one new American job is created. It is important to note that travel jobs- including employment at hotels, restaurants, retail, entertainment, convention centers and more - are a gateway to opportunity in America
. According to a study released in 2012, jobs in the travel industry:
• P rovide valu able career skills: Employees who work in travel jobs build valuable skills that can translate into rewarding careers. The average maximum salary for employees who start their career in the travel industry reaches $8 1 ,900- significantly more than the other industries;

U
.S
. TRAV EL AS SOCIATION TEL 202 408 8422 F AX 202 408 1255 

### 510-140211-024 1100 New York Avenue. NW Suite 450 Washington. DC 20005-3934 u:;travel.org

l . •1 ' '

### The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx February 6, 2104 Page2



### • Support educational opportunities: One-third of the 5.6 million Americans who work part time to support themselves while they further their education work in the travel industry; and


### • Offer a pathway to the middle class: The travel industry is one of the top 10 largest employers of middle-class wage earners in the U.S. More than half of 

### all travel industry employees (53 percent) earn a middle-class salary or higher. 1**----~-':l"be_appro~aJ-~fNArs~fgreign** air**carri~r** 

### permit application would**increa.s~** 

### inbound_inJernational visitation and bolster DOT's ongoing efforts to create ladders of opportunity and good-paying American jobs. I look forward to working with you on this and other important issues to increase travel to and within the United States. Sincerely,

Roger). Dow President and CEO U.S. Travel Association

1 "Fast Forward: Travel Creates Opportunities and Launches Careers': U.S. Travel Association, 2012: http://www. ustravel.org/sites/defauiUfiles/page/2012/08/e-Fast Forward. pdf



### 510-140211-024

# U.S. TRAVEL ASSOC I AT IO N 1100 New York Avenue. NW SUite 450 Washington. D.C. 20005·3934



### S10-140211-024 The Honorable An tho ny R. Foxx Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 1 200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 

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