TIA becomes U.S. Travel Association

The Board of Directors of the Travel Industry Association (TIA) approved a merger on Dec. 5 with the Travel Business Roundtable. The newly formed U.S. Travel Association, effective January 1, 2009, will further intensify the voice of America's $740 billion travel industry. "Travel supports nearly 18 million U.S. jobs that cannot be outsourced and contributes more than $100 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue," said Roger Dow, TIA's President and CEO, who will serve in the same capacity for the U.S. Travel Association. "America's travel community has created an organization that matches the power and scope of America's travel economy."
 
The U.S. Travel Association will represent leaders from nearly all major travel-related companies, state travel and tourism offices, dozens of the top U.S. convention and visitors bureaus and nearly all of the major travel associations. The new organization will serve as the leading advocate for increasing travel to and within the United States and provide its members with valuable research, events and marketing. http://www.tia.org/pressmedia/pressrec.asp?Item=931