U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

ONice of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Roger J. Dow 

President and CEO 

U.S. Travel Association 

1 I 00 New York A venue, NW 

Suite 450 

Washington, DC 20005-3934 

Dear Mr. Dow: 

Assistant Secretary 

MAR 21 2014 

1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

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 of the 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 

of this case and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessing the 

Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket 

DOT-OST-20 13-0204. 

I hope this information is helpful. 

510-140211-024 

Sincerely yours, 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary 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 New Jersey 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 of Transportation (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: 

• Provide valuable 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 $81,900- significantly more than the other 

industries; 

U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION TEL 202 408 8422 FAX 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 Anthony R. Foxx 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

II 

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