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614 United States
investment in highway, aviation and public lands
infrastructure; implementation of a permanent
visa waiver programme; achievement of bipartisan
party platform support for tourism; elimination of
unrelated taxes on tourism; and establishment of
national tourism grassroots networks. Foremost is
the challenge for this government and industry to
work together to forge a coordinated national
tourism policy within the proposed organisation
capable of competing at the cutting edge of
complex and interdependent global affairs in the
twenty-first century.
Tourism numbers over time tell a consistent and
successful story for this US industry. From 1986 to
1995, domestic and international tourism
increased by 40 per cent and 72 per cent,
respectively. This country is the first international
choice destination and top average earner. The
power of this industry is in its job creation, export
promotion and return on investment to help
shape tourism policy worldwide. In 1994, inbound
international tourists numbered over 45
million and generated $78 billion in revenue.
Domestic and international tourists spent more
than $400 billion in the United States in 1995,
making tourism the nation's third largest retail
industry behind auto and health services. These
expenditures generated 6.3 million jobs directly
and $110 billion in payroll, while supporting
another 8 million jobs indirectly. Over the past
decade, tourism has created jobs at a faster rate
than the rest of the economy. It generates $58
billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local
governments. International tourism is a top US
export, the fifth overall and first in services. Most
international tourists �excluding Mexico and Canada)
are from Europe; the second largest group is
from Asia and the Middle East, and the third is
from South America. International tourists spend
$210 million a day, creating a $19.6 billion trade
surplus.
In the early 1990s, US passenger air travel has
shown substantial increases; operating profits
nearly doubled to $2.7 billion, airline employment
rose 1 per cent to 543,325, and the average
salary increased 4 per cent to $43,230. Domestic
air traffic has risen 2.7 per cent and international
traffic 4.1 per cent. Global alliances and partnerships
among airlines' computerised reservation
systems and international carriers are leading to
increased code sharing among competitors and
the advent of the `seamless' trip for domestic and
international air travellers. Major problems include
reciprocity in `open skies' access to US airports,
promotion of multilateral versus bilateral aviation
agreements, and an end to competition-thwarting
subsidies for national carriers.
America's hotels and motels have experienced
increases after recovering from the losses of the
1980s of nearly $14 billion. This decade's overbuilding
resulted in excess supply that was not
halted until the passage of the Tax Reform Act of
1986. Improvements began in 1992, when hotels
enjoyed a 2.9 per cent increase in room nights
sold. Like aviation, US lodging is globalising
through implementation of worldwide reservation
system technologies, promotion of international
initiatives for sustainable `green' development, and
support for hotel consumer awareness campaigns
increasing tourist safety and security. The hotel
industry enjoyed its best year ever in 1995 with
profits about 3.7 times higher �adjusted for
inflation) than in 1979, the previous record year.
Casino revenues also increased from $14 billion in
1994 to $16.1 billion in 1995. While cruise line
and rental car industry profits remained largely
flat in 1995, auto travel increased by 2.2 per cent
over 1993. National park attendance climbed
2 per cent in 1995, and travel agent sales of
airline tickets rose 6 per cent to a new high of
$61.2 billion.
From both a cultural and attraction perspective,
the United States is a virtual cornucopia. The
abundant destinations have resulted in the advantages
and problems the United States has experienced
as a destination. Any type of tourist `draw'
can be found in the Untied States, from big cities
with well-developed cultural entertainment to
pristine natural environments. New York City
and its Great White Way have long been associated
with the theatre, musicals, plays and shopping.
Conversely, the United States National Park system
has been copied worldwide. The theme park
business is also a well-developed area in tourism,
with Bush Gardens, Six Flags, Opryland and the
Disney Parks, which have been copied worldwide.
The range of its cultural attractions is extremely
diverse. Because of the ongoing policy of welcom-