Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker delivered remarks on why the United States is a premier travel destination at the U.S. Travel Association’s Annual IPW marketplace in Orlando, Florida. Speaking before an audience of more than 5,000 travel industry professionals, she highlighted the Obama Administration’s focus on continually improving the international visitor experience and earning global business.

During her remarks, Secretary Pritzker discussed the Administration’s first-ever National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which aims to welcome 100 million international visitors annually by the end of 2021. Through efforts such as dramatically reducing visa wait time, improving passenger arrival experience through Trusted Traveler Programs like Global Entry, and expansion of the Visa Waiver Program, the Administration is improving the visitor experience and hopes to welcome more visitors to experience America’s unique destinations. 

The Department of Commerce also released today new data forecasting international visitors who stay one or more nights in the United States will reach a record 77.6 million this year. According to the current forecast, the United States will see a 3.8 percent to 4.6 percent annual growth rate in visitor volume during the 2015-2020 timeframe.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you Roger, for your kind introduction, and for putting together this impressive trade show. U.S. Travel is a key player in the United States achieving another record year for both the number of visitors and the dollars spent. I also want to recognize Chris Thompson and Brand USA for their contributions to the travel and tourism industry. Over the last two years, Brand USA’s marketing initiatives have directly helped bring an additional 2 million visitors to the United States.

I am so glad to be here with you today and to welcome you to Orlando and to the United States. You are one of the more than one billion people traveling the globe this year. We want more travelers like you and your clients to visit America and experience all we have to offer.

There are thousands of reasons to visit the United States. People come to America to see big cities like New York – where you can ride a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, take a walk through Central Park, and enjoy a Broadway show, all in one day. People come to America to hike the California Coast, where you can find bonsai trees living in the shadows of the giant redwoods – a phenomenon that does not exist anywhere else on the planet. People come to America to see some of the best art and culture in the world – from the world-renowned art collection at the Chicago Art Institute, to the back lots of Hollywood, to Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas, one of the hottest new collections of American art in the country.

These are just a few examples of what America has to offer – but we know our competitors are aggressively trying to lure you elsewhere. We think our country’s diverse array of uniquely American experiences can stand up to any destination anywhere in the world, but we do not take our visitors for granted. We are focused on continually improving the visitor experience and earning your business.           

President Obama has understood from the beginning how vital travel and tourism is to the economic health of the United States. Visitors to our country spent a record $221 billion on goods and services last year, supporting 1.1 million U.S. jobs. With this significant economic impact in mind, the President helped create the Corporation for Travel Promotion – which you know as Brand USA – and launched the first-ever National Travel and Tourism Strategy, setting the ambitious goal of welcoming 100 million international visitors to our shores in 2021. This strategy takes a “whole of government” approach. Across agencies, we are tackling some of the pressing challenges facing your industry and are making progress in a number of areas.

We have dramatically reduced visa wait times at our key embassies and consulates. By increasing staffing and expanding visa processing facilities, average wait periods in important markets like Brazil and China have dropped from as high as several months to less than five days. We have improved the passenger arrival experience through our Trusted Traveler Programs like Global Entry, which allows pre-approved, low-risk American citizens and lawful permanent residents expedited clearance upon arrival into the U.S. As of today, more than 3.8 million people have enrolled in Trusted Traveler Programs, which are being expanded to include citizens from partner countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, and others.

We have expanded the Visa Waiver Program to 38 countries. Now, 59 percent of all overseas travelers to the United States originate from visa waiver countries. And last November, President Obama and President Xi of China announced an historic agreement to extend visa validity from one to 10 years. This policy change is making it easier and less costly for Chinese travelers to visit the United States. In fact, in the five months since this change was enacted, Chinese demand for U.S. visas has grown by more than 50 percent.

Since the President announced the National Travel and Tourism Strategy just three short years ago, we have made progress. These changes have helped us reach an all-time high last year of 75 million international travelers. While this is a record, we have more to do to make the United States the destination of choice for you and for your customers.

Knowing that a first impression is a lasting impression, we have now set our sights on providing the best arrivals experience in the world to all of our international visitors, while simultaneously maintaining the highest standards of national security. In February, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and I outlined new ways to improve the arrivals process for international travelers to the United States.

This includes Airport-Specific Action Plans that simplify and streamline the entry process at our top 17 airports while also improving security. These plans include: deploying new electronic kiosks to speed the entry process; reducing overall baggage processing time; and improving signage. To ensure we are continually improving, we have engaged industry specialists to assist us in developing a scorecard and metrics for the entire process. The President is so focused on making our visitors feel welcome upon their arrival that he has asked us to report our progress to him directly and on an annual basis.

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that they are expanding preclearance into nine new countries. Once negotiations with the host countries are completed, passengers from pre-clearance airports will have a better, faster, and more efficient experience entering the United States.

The other way we are making the United States a more attractive destination is through coordinated marketing efforts. One of our best private sector partners is Brand USA. This unique, first-of-its-kind partnership brings the public sector together with nearly 500 organizations to collaborate on consumer campaigns, to cooperate on marketing programs, and to facilitate travel trade outreach. Brand USA is also your critical partner. If you are not already working with them, I urge you to visit their pavilion on the show floor, talk to their experts, and learn how to reach new customers through their marketing and trade outreach.

Industry has informed nearly every one of the policy reforms we have implemented and the innovative marketing approaches we have developed. We rely on your expertise. Knowing that you understand this industry and its needs better than anyone else, I meet regularly with the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.

This board – which is comprised of 32 travel companies – provides my office and our federal partners with invaluable advice and feedback on how to improve the visitor experience and continue to earn your business. In fact, we met this morning to discuss implementing our airport-specific action plans; expanding trusted traveler and visa waiver programs; integrating travel and tourism into infrastructure planning; and maintaining world class visa processing. 

People in Washington love to talk about policy changes. But providing a best-in-class visitor experience ultimately comes from a combination of all that America has to offer and the welcoming spirit of our people. Some of you may know I like to run. It is one of my favorite things to do when I travel – and when I am at home. I have the good fortune of living in Washington near one of the most iconic sites in the country – the National Mall – and I love to run along the Mall before work.

Picture this: in front of me, the sun is rising over the dome of the U.S. Capitol. Behind me is the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. To my left, I see arguably the most famous address in the world: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And everywhere I turn, I hear people from all over the world speaking in dozens of different languages. Our country has so much to offer travelers from around the world.

Our  Administration is doing its part to make our country an even more attractive travel destination – but we cannot achieve our goals without all of you. We want to work together to make sure the world knows that America is open for its  visitors – and open for your business.

Thank you for all you have done and are doing to promote travel and tourism to in the United States.