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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75125-75126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29463]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
International Air Travelers

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 17, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Richard Champley or Ron Erdmann, ITA National Travel & 
Tourism Office (NTTO), 1401 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 
20230, Phone: (202) 482-0140, Fax: (202) 482-2887. Email: 
[email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The ``Survey of International Air Travelers'' (Survey) program, 
administered by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) of the 
International Trade Administration provides source data required to (1) 
estimate international travel and passenger fare exports, imports and 
the trade balance for the United States, (2) comply with the U.S. 
Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-145), collect a one percent 
sample of inbound travelers, analyze and report information to the 
Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), d/b/a Brand USA, and support 
the National Export Initiative (NEI) to double exports for the country, 
(3) to comply with the 1961, 1981, and 1996 travel and tourism related 
acts to collect and publish comprehensive international travel and 
tourism, statistics and other marketing information, and (4) support 
the

[[Page 75126]]

continuation of the Travel & Tourism Satellite Accounts for the United 
States, which provide the only spending and employment figures for the 
industry, and (5) to support the goals of objectives of the President's 
National Travel & Tourism Strategy.
    The Survey program contains the core data that is collected, 
analyzed and communicated by NTTO with other government agencies, 
associations and businesses that share the same objective of increasing 
U.S. international travel exports. The Survey assists NTTO in assessing 
the economic impact of international travel on state and local 
economies, providing visitation estimates, key market intelligence, and 
identifying traveler and trip characteristics. The U.S. Department of 
Commerce assists travel industry enterprises to increase international 
travel and passenger fare exports for the country as well as outbound 
travel on U.S. carriers. The Survey program provides the only available 
estimates of nonresident visitation to the states and cities within the 
United States, as well as U.S. resident travel abroad.
    A new survey instrument (questionnaire) (English version plus its 
translations into eleven foreign languages) was implemented in 2012. It 
reflects input from over 70 respondents, including: Travel Industry 
(airlines, travel associations, destinations, lodging); Consultants; 
Financial Firms; Educational Institutions; and other U.S. Government 
Agencies.
    The new Survey questionnaire reflects changes in various questions 
relating to: Trip purpose; Payment methods; Booking/Information 
sources; additional package components, health care/vaccinations, 
travel insurance information, additional transportation utilized, 
Assessment of the Visitor's Experience; and intentions for further 
travel to the United States; Ethnicity/race. Several questions from the 
pre-existing 1996 questionnaire were eliminated to further streamline 
the survey.

II. Method of Collection

    The survey instrument/questionnaire (``Survey of International Air 
Travelers'') continues to be in paper format and is self-administered 
by the passenger who volunteers to take the survey, either while in the 
departure gate area or on-board the flight. The flights are selected 
randomly and this approach is described as `cluster sampling.' The 
majority (80%) of the passenger surveys are collected in U.S. airport 
departure gate areas. About 20% of all the passenger surveys are 
collected during flight (on-board) post departure (Canada is not part 
of the program). U.S. and foreign flag airlines that volunteer to 
participate in the Survey program enable the collection either in U.S. 
departure gate areas or on-board flights.
    NTTO is planning to change the format to electronic or to a more 
efficient and equally statistically valid process once compelling 
results have been attained. To date there have been `e-Survey tests' in 
partnership with Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and with a major 
airline in its boarding area. Other tests are planned this year 
including the goal to leverage personal electronic devices (PED) and 
Wi-Fi capabilities in the airport and on-board certain flights.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0625-0227.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission [extension of a current 
information collection].
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300,000 [changed from 99,400 due 
to mandate of the Travel Promotion Act which requires a `one percent' 
sample of overseas arrivals].
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 75,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: December 11, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-29463 Filed 12-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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