Gov. Togiola Tulafono has joined the governors of the other U.S. territories seeking to ensure that the insular areas are adequately represented under the new Travel Promotion Act.
The new federal law is to be implemented by an 11-member board.
Governors of the territories in their Apr. 12 joint letter to Gary Locke, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, said a board member with specific knowledge of the travel industry within the territories should be included.
According to the letter, the board is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and consists of representatives of states, the federal government and different sectors of the travel industry.
“Given the additional requirement that directors broadly represent various regions of the United States... which includes the U.S. territories, and given that the territories present unique experiences, challenges and opportunities with respect to tourism, we believe that it is not only appropriate but necessary for at least one of the members of the board to possess expertise and significant experience in territorial tourism,” the letter states.
Besides Togiola, the letter is also signed by Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. John P. deJongh Jr.
Media in Guam first reported the letter earlier this week.
The Act, which also requires the establishment of a non-profit Corporation for Travel Promotion, calls for promoting the Nation’s travel policies for travel to the United States, and provides exposure to U.S destinations that do not have adequate resources to promote themselves overseas.
The law is included in provision of the United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2009, according to congressional records.
Provision of the law states that: “No individual other than a citizen of the United States may be an officer of the Corporation.” The law also calls for the establishment in the U.S. Commerce Department the Office of Travel Promotion, headed by a director.
Nothing in the law specifies any travel promotion or issues focusing on the U.S. territories but the federal agency could give American Samoa a major boost in tourism development.
