Travel Industry Lobbying Efforts: Following up President Barack Obama’s Jan. 19 announcement to boost U.S. tourism and recognition of the travel industry’s contribution to the economy, the U.S. Travel Association last week unveiled “Vote Travel,” a new yearlong campaign to raise its profile with travelers and among policymakers in Washington, D.C.

“The world is experiencing a travel boom and the United States needs to be part of it,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The impact of the $1.8 trillion U.S. travel industry is significant and growing, which is why we are galvanizing support and asking all Americans to ‘Vote Travel’ this election season.”

The Vote Travel campaign intentionally coincides with 2012 being an election year and provides an added opportunity for the organization to garner support for travel policy initiatives. Campaign goals include:

• Building support for travel industry policy and advocacy priorities among policymakers and the general electorate;
• Generating media attention surrounding the travel industry’s impact on the U.S. economy, as well as state and local economies, including specific congressional districts;
• Strengthening the travel industry’s visibility and relevance in Washington;
• Showcasing the critical importance of meetings and conventions with events during the Democratic and Republican conventions to target both convention attendees, as well as media;
• Deepening relationships with travel industry partners by helping them tell the story of the travel industry’s importance to the U.S. economy; and
• Building additional grassroots support for U.S. Travel and the Power of Travel Coalition through social media platforms.

“Travel supports more than 14 million jobs in local communities and states across the nation,” said Dow. “By casting a vote for travel, our industry can increase jobs, help our economy recover and get America moving.”

Hotel Room Discounts: Room 77 has kicked off 2012 by offering travelers 10 percent off any hotel booking, any time, even off already-discounted rates, for bookings made on its site between now and Feb. 22, 2012. There are no blackout dates and there is no limit to the number of times the discount may be applied. To receive the additional 10 percent off, enter NEWROOM77 when booking.

For users with existing reservations—even if the hotel was booked elsewhere—Room 77 is offering a chance to test out its Room Concierge service, which helps travelers get the room that best matches their preferences. For those with an upcoming reservation at a three-star and above hotel, simply email your itinerary to concierge@room77.com with VIP CONCIERGE in subject line.

Additional travel news of interest:

OTAs Settle Suit by Palm Beach County – Palm Beach Post
Peek Raises Money for Planning Tourism Activities – The New York Times Bits Blog
Yoga Room Now Open at SFO Airport – San Mateo County Times
Kayak Redesign: How and Why They Did It – Tnooz
Mexico Tourism Up – Bloomberg, Travel Weekly
Travel Hiring Is on the Rise – The New York Times

Photo: U.S. Travel Association/Vote Travel

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Workers test lifeboats on the ship Constellation.

Accidents on the magnitude of the recent Costa Concordia tragedy may be rare in the cruising industry, but one trade association has taken the crash as an indication that industry-wide safety standards need to be closely reevaluated.

The Cruise Lines International Association, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., announced today that it will undertake a cruise industry operational safety review aimed at assessing “the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety.”

Components of the review will include:

1. An internal review by CLIA members of their own operational safety practices and procedures concerning issues of navigation, evacuation, emergency training, and related practices and procedures.

2. Consultation with independent external experts.

3. Identification and sharing of industry best practices and policies, as well as possible recommendations to the IMO for substantive regulatory changes to further improve the industry’s operational safety.

4. Collaboration with the IMO, governments and regulatory bodies to implement any necessary regulatory changes.

Days after the Concordia incident, parent company Carnival Corp. announced its own internal review of safety standards and emergency procedures, and joined CLIA in calling for the International Maritime Organization to share the findings of its investigation of the accident of the Italian coast.

Photo: Harve Cozanet for Marine-Marchande.net

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It seems like just a few days ago we welcomed in the New Year, yet already we’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day hotel deals. 2012 will be over in a blink, so if you want to create fond memories to last the entire year, consider one of these five romantic getaways.

Milliken Creek Inn & Spa

Heart of Napa Authentic Trio at the Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Napa Valley

Wine, chocolates, spa treatment—the holiday package from this 12-room luxury boutique property in Napa Valley has it all. Even better: it’s good weekends from Feb. 1 through July 31, 2012. The Milliken Creek package starts at $640 per night for two guests and includes a two-night stay, a five-hour luxury vehicle wine tour provided by Peralta Luxury Tours, gourmet boxed lunch and wine tasting at Crocker & Starr winery, cave tour and tasting at Keever Vineyards, barrel tasting at Fontanella Family Winery, 90-minute chocolate decadence couples spa treatment, and romantic turndown including rose petals, chocolate-covered strawberries and Champagne. Visit www.MillikenCreekInn.com or call 800-822-8418.

14 Days of Valentine’s at the Eventi Hotel, New York City

Can’t afford to splash “I love you” to your sweetheart on the monitor during a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden? Then this Valentine’s Day deal from Kimpton’s Eventi Hotel in New York City is just for you. In addition to a welcome bouquet of flowers and Champagne upon arrival, you’ll get a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries, dinner for two at Bar Basque or breakfast in bed, 14 percent off hotel spa treatments (trust me, they’re worth it—I stayed here the night before my wedding and had a fantastic facial and massage) and, here’s what you’ve been waiting for, a special Valentine’s Day message displayed on the HD-format LED screen located in the Big Screen Plaza next to the hotel. The package is available from Feb. 1 to 14, 2012, and rates start at $329 per night, depending on date and room type selected. Send monitor messages, up to 20 words, to info@bigscreenplaza.com by Feb. 1. Book online or call 866-996-8396 and mention the rate code LOVE.

Kimpton Hotels also is offering a Robe-mance special at participating hotels starting at $269 per night and includes two zebra- or leopard-print bathrobes (a $180 value) and a $25 food and beverage credit. Mention or enter ROBES in the rate-code box.

Pink Goes Green at the Shore Hotel, Santa Monica, California

Practical romantics will appreciate this beachside break from the eco-friendly Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, a newly built Silver LEED-registered property that uses local, sustainable, and recycled materials and products as much as possible. The Pink Goes Green package includes overnight accommodations, two bicycle rentals for use during your stay—ideal for morning or sunset rides along the beach, a bottle of organic Champagne or wine, a 60-minute couples massage at Tikkun Spa and a $50 credit to The Lobster Restaurant. Rates start at $469 per night. Call 310-458-1515 or visit www.shorehotel.com.

Hacienda San Angel

Sweetheart Serenade at the Hacienda San Angel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Add the warmth of Mexico to your relationship with a trip to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast and a stay at the luxury boutique hotel Hacienda San Angel. Its Sweetheart Serenade Valentine’s Day package includes a three-night stay in a junior suite, private terrace dinner for two, private mariachi serenade on the terrace or from the cobblestone streets below, one in-suite massage per person and daily breakfast. The package is priced at $1,620 and is available for stays throughout the month of February. Call 877-815-6594 or visit www.haciendasanangel.com.

Valentine’s Day Package at the Rome Cavalieri in Rome, Italy

What could be more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day in one of the most romantic cities in the world—Rome? The overnight holiday package at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, includes a padlock, and the hotel encourages couples to lock it to the lamppost at the Ponte Milvio bridge and throw the key into the Tiber River as a sign of their love. Even if you don’t go for romantic rituals, the hotel’s Valentine’s Day package also includes a bottle of Champagne and in-room chocolates, breakfast buffet and a three-course dinner for two at L’Uliveto restaurant, one Caribbean Moments spa package which includes use of the hydro-massage, saunas, Turkish bath, two St. Barth Harmony massages, two scrubs, two papaya facial masks and two cocktails at the Grand Spa Café. Rates start at 680 euros. Visit www.romecavalieri.com for more details.

Photos: Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Hacienda San Angel

President Obama announced plans to increase travel to the United States from Disney World's Main Street, USA.

Thursday at Disney World in Orlando, President Barack Obama announced an executive order aimed at boosting international tourism visits to the United States. The initiative is getting a positive reception from the travel industry, which has advocated for years for some of the changes the new order includes. David Scowsill, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, called it “a major step forward for the world’s biggest travel and tourism economy,” according to eTurboNews.

The President’s order includes plans aimed at promoting the United States as a travel destination and several moves that will make it easier for visitors to enter the country. It expands the visa waiver and Global Entry programs and calls for the creation of a task force to improve promotion efforts.

Changes will affect travelers from all over the world, but the administration called out three countries for special treatment—Taiwan, which is being added to the visa waiver program; and China and Brazil, which will see changes to their visa application processes that should lead to better access. Not a bad idea, considering that both are fast-growing and lucrative markets. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that Chinese visitors’ average spend per trip is $6,243, and Brazilians’ is $4,940.

The White House’s outline of the program can be viewed here. Below are the action steps the President called for:

• Create a joint task force between the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to promote domestic and inbound travel. A focus will be placed on promoting national parks, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, monuments and other public lands.
• Increase non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent in 2012.
• Ensure that 80 percent of non-immigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of application.
• Add Taiwan to the visa waiver program, allowing Taiwanese nationals to visit the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days with no visa. This would be the tenth country added since 2008. The recommendation to add Taiwan is pending Department of Homeland Security approval.
• Create a Department of Commerce website for travelers from key markets that culls visa-process information and statistics from across the federal government.
• Launch pilot program and rule change for visa processing in China and Brazil, with the goal of streamlining the non-immigrant visa process for certain applicants. Changes will include waiving interviews for very low-risk applicants, such as those replying for renewals and younger or older first-time applicants from Brazil.
• Expand the Global Entry Program to four more airports—Charlotte, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix. The Global Entry Program, created in 2008, expedites pre-approved, low-risk travelers from abroad. The administration estimates that this expansion will make the program active at airports that service 97 percent of arrivals to the United States.
• Appoint 32 private-sector executives to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The full list can be viewed on the Department of Commerce website. Companies represented include Sabre Holdings, JetBlue Airways, Mall of America and Marriott International.

Photo: Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert; Whitehouse.gov

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