National Tourism Policy Act
PL 97-63 (S.304), enacted 10/16/1981

PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
95 STAT. 1011 
Public Law 97-63 
97th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the International Travel Act of 1961 to establish a national tourism 
Oct. 16, 1981 
policy, and for other purposes. 
[S. 304] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled. 
National 
Tourism Policy 
Act. 
SHORT TITLE 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "National Tourism Policy 22 use 2121 
Act". 
""^" 
NATIONAL TOURISM POUCY 
note. 
SEC. 2. (a) The International Travel Act of 1961 (hereinafter in this 
Act referred to as the "Act") is amended by striking out the first 
section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "That this Act may 2
2 use 2121 
be cited as the 'International Travel Act of 1961'. 
"°t« 
"TITLE I—NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY 
"SEC. 101. (a) The Congress 
finds 
that— 
22 use 2121. 
"(1) the tourism and recreation industries are important to the 
United States, not only because of the numbers of people they 
serve and the vast human, financial, and physical resources they 
employ, but because of the great benefits tourism, recreation, 
and related activities confer on individuals and on society as a 
whole; 
"(2) the Federal Government for many years has encouraged 
tourism and recreation implicitly in its statutory commitments 
to the shorter workyear and to the national passenger transpor-
tation system, and exi)licitly in a number of legislative enact-
ments to promote tourism and support development of outdoor 
recreation, cultural attractions, and historic and natural heri-
tage resources; 
(3) as incomes and leisure time continue to increase, and as 
our economic and political systems develop more complex global 
relationships, tourism and recreation will become ever more 
important aspects of 
our daily lives; and 
"(4) the existing extensive Federal Government involvement in 
tourism, recreation, and other related activities needs to be 
better coordinated to effectively respond to the national interest 
in tourism and recreation and, where appropriate, to meet the 
needs of State and local governments and the private sector. 
"(b) There is established a national tourism policy to— 
"(1) optimize the contribution of the tourism and recreation 
industries to economic prosperity, full employment, and the 
international balance of payments of 
the United States; 
"(2) make the opportunity for and benefits of tourism and 
recreation in the United States universally accessible to resi-
95 STAT. 1012 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
dents of the United States and foreign countries and insure that 
present and future generations are afforded adequate tourism 
and recreation resources; 
"(3) contribute to personal growth, health, education, and 
intercultural appreciation of the geogi-aphy, history, and 
ethnicity of 
the United States; 
"(4) encourage the free and welcome entry of individuals 
traveling to the United States, in order to enhance international 
understanding and goodwill, consistent with immigration laws, 
the laws protecting the public health, and laws governing the 
importation of 
goods into the United States; 
(5) eliminate unnecessary trade barriers to the United States 
tourism industry operating throughout the world; 
"(6) encourage competition in the tourism industry and maxi-
mum consumer choice through the continued viability of the 
retail travel agent industry and the independent tour operator 
industry; 
"(7) promote the continued development and availability of 
alternative personsd payment mechanisms which facilitate 
national and international travel; 
"(8) promote quality, integrity, and reliability in all tourism 
and tourism-related services offered to visitors to the United 
States; 
"(9) preserve the historical and cultural foundations of the 
Nation as a living part of community life and development, and 
insure future generations an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy 
the rich heritage of 
the Nation; 
"(10) insure the compatibility of tourism and recreation with 
other national interests in energy development and conserva-
tion, environmental protection, and the judicious use of natural 
resources; 
"(11) assist in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of 
data which accurately measure the economic and social impact of 
tourism to and within the United States, in order to facilitate 
planning in the public and private sectors; and 
"(12) harmonize, to the maximum extent possible, all Federal 
activities in support of tourism and recreation with the needs of 
the general public and the States, territories, local governments, 
and the tourism and recreation industry, and to give leadership 
to all concerned with tourism, recreation, and national heritage 
preservation in the United States.". 
DUTIES 
SEC. 3. (a) The following heading is inserted before section 2 of the 
Act: 
"TITLE n—DUTIES". 
(b) Section 2 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2122) is amended bv striking out 
"puipose of this Act" and inserting in lieu thereof the national 
Ante, p. 1011. 
tourism policy established by section 101(b)". 
(c) Section 3(a) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2123(a)) is amended by striking 
out "section 2" and inserting in lieu thereof "section 201", b:^ striking 
out "and" at the end of 
paragraph (6), by striking out the period at the 
end of paragraph (7) and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon, and by 
adding after paragraph (7) the following new paragraphs: 
"(8) shall establish facilitation services at megor ports-of-entry 
of 
the United States; 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
95 STAT. 1013 
"(9) shall consult with foreign governments on travel and 
tourism matters and, in accordance with applicable law, repre-
sent United States travel and tourism interests before interna-
tional and intergovernmental meetings; 
"(10) shall develop and administer a comprehensive program 
relating to travel industry information, data service, training 
and education, and technical assistance; 
"(11) shall develop a program to seek and to receive informa-
tion on a continuing basis from the tourism industry, including 
consumer and travel trade associations, regarding needs and 
interests which should be met by a Federal agency or program 
and to direct that information to the appropriate agency or 
program; 
"(12) shall encourage to the maximum extent feasible travel to 
and from the United States on United States carriers; 
"(13) shall assure coordination within the Department of 
Commerce so that, to the extent practicable, all the resources of 
the Department are used to effectively and efficiently carry out 
the national tourism policy; 
"(14) may only promulgate, issue, rescind, and amend such 
interpretive rules, general statements of policy, and rules of 
agency organization, procedure, and practice as may be neces-
sary to carry out this Act; and 
"(15) shall develop and submit annually to the Congress, 
within six weeks of transmittal to the Congress of the President's 
recommended budget for implementing this Act, a detailed 
marketing plan to stimulate and encourage travel to the United 
States during the fiscal year for which such budget is submitted 
and include in the plan the estimated funding and personnel 
levels required to implement the plan and alternate means of 
funding activities under this Act.". 
(d)(1) Paragraph (5) of section 3(a) of the Act is amended (A) by 
striking out foreign countries." and inserting in lieu thereof "for-
eign countries;", (B) by striking out "this clause;" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "this paragraph.", (C) by inserting the last two sentences 
before the first sentence of subsection (c), and (D) by striking out "this 
clause" in such sentences and inserting in lieu thereof "paragraph (5) 
of subsection (a)". 
(2) Paragraph (7) of section 3(a) of the Act is amended by striking 
out "countries. The Secretary is authorized to" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "countries; and the Secretary may" and by striking out "this 
clause" and inserting in lieu thereof this paragraph". 
(3) Section 3 of the Act is amended by striking out "clause (5)" each 
place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof "paragraph (5)". 
(e)(1) Sections 2 and 3 of the Act are redesignated as sections 201 
and 202, respectively, and section 5 is inserted after section 202 (as so 
redesignated) and redesignated as section 203. 
(2) Section 203 of the Act (as so redesignated) is amended 2
2 use 2i23a. 
by striking out "semi-annually" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"annually". 
(f) The following section is inserted after section 203 of the Act (as 
so redesignated): 
"SEC. 204. (a) The Secretary is authorized to provide, in accordance 
with subsections (b) and (c), financial assistance to a region of not less 
than two States or portions of two States to assist in the implementa-
tion of a regional tourism promotional and marketing program. Such 
assistance shall include— 
22 use 2123. 
22 use 2122, 
2123, 2123a. 
Regional 
assistance. 
22 use 2123b. 
95 STAT. 1014 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
United States 
Travel and 
Tourism 
Administration, 
establishment. 
Ante, p. 1012. 
"(1) technical assistance for advancing the promotion of travel 
to such region by foreign visitors; 
"(2) expert consultants; and 
"(3) marketing and promotional assistance. 
"(b) ^ y program carried out with assistance under subsection (a) 
shall serve as a demonstration project for future program develop-
ment for regional tourism promotion. 
"(c) The Secretary may provide assistance under subsection (a) for a 
region if the applicant for the assistance demonstrates to the satisfac-
tion of the Secretary that— 
"(1) such region has in the past been an area that has attracted 
foreign visitors, but such visits have significantly decreased; 
"(2) facilities are being developed or improved to reattract such 
foreign visitors; 
"(3) a joint venture in such region will increase the travel to 
such region by foreign visitors; 
"(4) such regional programs will contribute to the economic 
well-being of the region; 
"(5) such region is developing or has developed a regional 
transportation system that will enhance travel to the facilities 
and attractions within such region; and 
"(6) a correlation exists between increased tourism to such 
region and the lowering of the unemplojrment rate in such 
region.". 
ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 4. (aXD The first sentence of section 4 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 
2124) is amended to read as follows: "There is established in the 
Department of Commerce a United States Travel and Tourism 
Administration which shall be headed by an Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Travel and Tourism who shall be appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who 
sh£ill report directly to the Secretary.". 
(2) The second sentence of section 4 of the Act is sunended by 
striking out "Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tourism" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "Under Secretary of Commerce for Travel 
and Tourism". 
(3) Section 4 of the Act is amended by striking out the last sentence 
and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "The Secretary shall 
designate an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tourism Market-
ing who shall be under the supervision of the Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Travel and Tourism. The Secretary shall delegate to 
the Assistant Secretary responsibility for the development and sub-
mission of the marketing plan required bv section 202(aX15).". 
(4) Section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "Under Secretary of Commerce" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "Under Secretary of Commerce and Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Travel and Tourism". 
(b) Section 4 of 
the Act is amended by inserting "(a)" after "SEC. 4.", 
and by adding at the end the following: 
"(bXD The Secretary may not reduce the total number of foreign 
offices of the United States Travel and Tourism Administration or 
the number of employees assigned to the offices of the Administra-
tion in foreign countries to a number which is less than the total 
number of employees of the United States Travel Service assigned to 
offices of the Service in foreign countries in fiscal year 1979. 
"(2) In any fiscal year the amount of funds which shall be made 
available from appropriations under this Act for obligation for the 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
95 STAT. 1015 
activities of the offices of the United States Travel and Tourism 
Administration in foreign countries shall not be less than the amount 
obligated in fiscal year 1980 for the activities of the offices of the 
United States Travel Service in foreign countries.". 
(c)(1) The following heading is inserted before section 4 of the Act: 
"TITLE III-ADMINISTRATION". 
(2) Section 4 of the Act is redesignated as section 301 and the 
following new sections are inserted after that section: 
"SEC. 302. (a) In order to assure that the national interest in 
tourism is fully considered in Federal decisionmaking, there is 
established an interagency coordinating council to be known as the 
Tourism Policy Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
'Council'). 
"(b)(1) The Council shall consist of— 
"(A) the Secretary of Commerce who shall serve as Chairman 
of the Council; 
"(B) the Under Secretary for Travel and Tourism who shall 
serve as the Vice Chairman of the Council and who shall act as 
Chairman of the Council in the absence of the Chairman; 
"(C) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget or 
the individual designated by the Director from the Office; 
"(D) an individual designated by the Secretary of Commerce 
from the International Trade Administration of the Department 
of Commerce; 
"(E) the Secretary of Energy or the individual designated by 
such Secretary from the Department of Energy; 
"(F) the Secretary of State or the individual designated by such 
Secretary from the Department of State; 
"(G) the Secretary of the Interior or the individual designated 
by such Secretary from the National Park Service or the Heri-
tage Conservation and Recreation Service of the Department of 
the Interior; 
"(H) the Secretary of Labor or the individual designated by 
such Secretary from the Department of Labor; and 
"(I) the Secretary of Transportation or the individual desig-
nated by such Secretary from the Department of Transportation. 
"(2) Members of the Council shall serve without additional compen-
sation, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses, 
including travel expenses, incurred by them in carrying out the 
duties of the Council. 
"(3) Each member of the Council, other than the Vice Chairman, 
may designate an alternate, who shall serve as a member of the 
Council whenever the regular member is unable to attend a meeting 
of the Council or any committee of the Council. The designation by a 
member of the Council of an alternate under the preceding sentence 
shall be made for the duration of the member's term on the Council. 
Any such designated alternate shall be selected from individuals who 
exercise significant decisionmaking authority in the Federal agency 
involved and shall be authorized to make decisions on behalf of the 
member for whom he or she is serving. 
"(c)(1) Whenever the Council, or a committee of the Council, 
considers matters that affect the interests of Federal agencies that 
are not represented on the Council or the committee, the Chairman 
may invite the heads of such agencies, or their alternates, to partici-
pate in the deliberations of the Council or committee. 
22 u s e 2124. 
Tourism Policy 
Council, 
establishment. 
22 u s e 2124a. 
Membership. 
Compensation; 
travel expenses. 
Alternate, 
designation. 
-194 O—82 
66 : QL3 
95 STAT. 1016 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
Meetings. 
Functions. 
Policy 
committees, 
establishment. 
Report to 
President. 
"(2) The Council shall conduct its first meeting not later than 
ninety days after the date of enactment of 
this section. Thereafter the 
Council shall meet not less than four times each year. 
"(d)(1) The Council shall coordinate policies, programs, and issues 
relating to tourism, recreation, or national heritage resources involv-
ing Federal departments, agencies, or other entities. Among other 
things, the Council shEill— 
"(A) coordinate the policies and programs of member agencies 
that have a significant effect on tourism, recreation, and 
national heritage preservation; 
"(B) develoj) areas of cooperative program activity; 
"(C) assist in resolving interagency program and policy con-
flicts; and 
"(D) seek and receive concerns and views of State and local 
governments and the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board with 
respect to Federal programs and policies deemed to conflict with 
the orderly growth and development of tourism. 
"(2) To enable the Council to carry out its functions— 
"(A) the Council may request directly from any Federal depart-
ment or agency such personnel, information, services, or facili-
ties, on a compensated or uncompensated basis, as he determines 
necessary to carry out the functions of the Council; 
"(B) each Federal department or agency shall furnish the 
Council with such information, services, and facilities as it may 
request to the extent permitted by law and within the limits of 
available funds; and 
"(C) Federal agencies and departments may, in their discre-
tion, detail to temporary duty with the Council, such personnel 
as the Council may request for carrying out the functions of the 
Council, each such detail to be without loss of seniority, pay, or 
other employee status. 
"(3) The Administrator of the General Services Administration 
shall provide administrative support services for the Council on a 
reimbursable basis. 
"(e) The Council shall establish such policy committees as it 
considers necessary and appropriate, each of which shall be com-
prised of any or all of the members of the Council and representatives 
from Federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities not repre-
sented on the Council. Each such policy committee shall be 
designed— 
"(1) to monitor a specific area of Federal Government activity, 
such as transportation, energy and natural resources, economic 
development, or other such activities related to tourism; and 
"(2) to review and evaluate the relation of the policies and 
activities of the Federal Government in that specific area to 
tourism, recreation, and national heritage conservation in the 
United States. 
"(f) The Council shall submit an annual report for the preceding 
fiscal year to the President for transmittal to Congress on or before 
the thirty-first day of December of each year. The report shall 
include— 
"(1) a comprehensive and detailed report of the activities and 
accomplishments of the Council and its policy committees; 
"(2) the results of Council efforts to coordinate the policies and 
programs of member agencies that have a significant effect on 
tourism, recreation, and national heritage preservation, resolve 
interagency conflicts, and develop areas of cooperative program 
activity; 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
95 STAT. 1017 
Travel and 
Tourism 
Advisory Board, 
establishment. 
22 u s e 2124b. 
Members, 
appointments. 
"(3) an analysis of problems referred to the Council by State 
and local governments, the tourism industry, the Secretary of 
Commerce, or any of the Council's policy committees along with 
a detailed statement of any actions taken or anticipated to be 
taken to resolve such problems; and 
"(4) such recommendations as the Council deems appropriate. 
"SEC. 303. (a) There is established the Travel and Tourism Advisory 
Board (hereinafter in this section referred to £is the 'Board') to be 
composed of fifteen members appointed by the Secretary. The mem-
bers of the Board shall be appointed as follows: 
"(1) Not more than eight members of the Board shall be 
appointed from the same political party. 
(2) The members of the Board shall be appointed from among 
citizens of the United States who are not regular full-time 
employees of the United States and shall be selected for appoint-
ment so as to provide as nearly as practicable a broad representa-
tion of different geographical regions within the United States 
and of the diverse and varied segments of the tourism industry. 
"(3) Twelve of the members shall be appointed from senior 
executive officers of organizations engaged in the travel and 
tourism industry. Of 
such members— 
"(A) at least one shall be a senior representative from a 
labor organization representing employees of the tourism 
industry; and 
"(B) at least one shall be a representative of the States who 
is knowledgeable of tourism promotion. 
"(4) Of the remaining three members of the Board— 
"(A) one member shall be a consumer advocate or ombuds-
man from the organized public interest community; 
"(B) one member shall be an economist, statistician, or 
accountant; and 
"(C) one member shall be an individual from the academic 
community who is knowledgeable in tourism, recreation, or 
national heritage conservation. 
The Secretary shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board. The 
duration of the Board shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. A list of the members appointed to the Board shall be 5 use app. 
forwarded by the Secretary to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Energy 
and Commerce. 
"Ob) The members of the Board shall be appointed for a term of Terms o
f office. 
office of three years, except that of the members first appointed— 
"(1) four members shall be appointed for terms of one year, and 
"(2) four members shall be appointed for terms of two years, 
£is designated by the Secretary at the time of appointment. Any 
member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of 
the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be 
appointed only for the remsiinder of such term. A member may serve 
after the expiration of his term until his successor has taken office. 
Vacancies on the Board shall be filled in the same manner in which 
the original appointments were made. No member of the Board shall 
be eligible to serve in excess of two consecutive terms of three years 
each. 
"(c) The Chairman and Vice Chairman and other appropriate 
officers of the Board shall be elected by and from members of the 
Board other than the Secretary. 
"(d) The members of the Board shall receive no compensation for Compensation; 
their services as such, but shall be allowed such necessary travel ^^^^^^ expenses. 
95 STAT. 1018 
PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981 
Meetings. 
Ante, p. 1012. 
Report. 
expenses and per diem as are authorized by section 5703 of title 5, 
United States Code. The Secretary shall pay the reasonable and 
necessary expenses incurred by the Board in connection with the 
coordination of Board activities, announcement and reporting of 
meetings, and preparation of such reports as are required by subsec-
tion (f). 
"(e) The Board shall meet at least semi-annually and shall hold 
such other meetings at the call of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, 
or a majority of its members. 
"(f) The Board shall advise the Secretary with respect to the 
implementation of this Act and shall advise the Assistant Secretary 
for Tourism Marketing with respect to the preparation of 
the market-
ing plan under section 202(aX15). The Board shall prepare an annual 
report concerning its activities and include therein such recommen-
dations as it deems appropriate with respect to the performance of 
the Secretary under this Act and the operation and effectiveness of 
programs under this Act. Each annual report shall cover a fiscal year 
and shall be submitted on or before the thirty-first day of December 
following the close of 
the fiscal year.". 
Repeal. 
22 u s e 2121 
note. 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
SEC. 5. (a) Section 6 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2126) is redesignated as 
section 304 and the first sentence is amended to read as follows: "For 
the purpose of carrying out this Act there is authorized to be 
appropriated an amount not to exceed $8,600,000 for the fiscal year 
ending September 30,1982.". 
(b) Section 7 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2127) is redesignated as section 
305 and sections 8 and 9 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 2128) are repealed. 
22 u s e 2121 
note. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 6. The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
October 1,1981. 
Approved October 16, 1981. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 304 (H.R. 1311): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 97-107, Pt. I, accompanying H.R. 1311 (eomm. on Energy and 
eommerce) and No. 97-252 (eomm. of Conference). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 127 (1981): 
Jan. 27, considered and passed Senate. 
July 28, H.R. 1311 considered and passed House; proceedings vacated and S. 
304, amended, passed in lieu. 
Sept. 29, Senate agreed to conference report. 
Sept. 29, Oct. 1, House considered and agreed to conference report.