Congress Renews Brand USA's Funding in 11th Hour Vote
Skift Take
The United States was well on its way to being one of the world's only tourism destination powerhouses without a marketing budget. In a rare piece of good news for U.S. tourism this year, Congress has just narrowly avoided that.
American travel officials can breathe a big sigh of relief before the holiday break. Congress voted to renew funding for the nation's destination marketer Brand USA as part of the $1.4 trillion spending package passed by the House on Dec. 17, and the Senate on Thursday. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation.
The U.S. Travel Association, a trade group which lobbies on behalf of Brand USA, has been trying all year to get the reauthorization attached to a piece of must-pass legislation or as a stand-alone bill. The program's funding was diverted — somewhat unwittingly — in 2018. Had the f
