How Do We Encourage People To Visit America? We Charge Them, Of Course!

In a rundown on how the Senate will be dipping into your pocket this week, this little tidbit catches one’s eye.

“And the Senate will start off the week with a bill to create a nonprofit
corporation to promote tourism to the United States, to be called the
Corporation for Travel Promotion. The nonprofit company would be financed in
part by a new $10 fee on foreign travelers visiting the United States.”

Some random thoughts on this:

- Do we really need another government entity?

- If it’s run by the government, you can rest assured it will be non profit.

- Doesn’t it just roll off the tongue? Come visit the US, Welcome, Gimme ten dollars.

- Have they heard of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, which operates under the Department of Commerce?

- What is the over/under on how many days it would take for them to apportion US tax money to make up the shortfall in the non-profit’s budget?