Come visit the U.S. - and create jobs!
On Thursday, the senate passed the Travel Promotion Act, which will create a nonprofit corporation to market overseas visits to United States. The corporation will be funded by a new $10 charge to foreign visitors who apply for pre-authorization to come to the US, and also through the revenue that will be generated from the additional 1.6 million tourists that are expected. The increase of tourism will supposedly create 40,000 jobs. The reasoning behind the Act is that the US is "the only modern nation that doesn't advertise ourselves," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday as he laid out his plan to spur employment.
I thought this article fit in nicely with our class discussion about the role of NGOs and 'nonprofit corporations,' like the one created by the Travel Promotion Act, and whether or not they always work for what is 'right.' This new travel promotion corporation will create marketing campaigns to promote the US as a desirable vacation destination. While jobs are badly needed in the US, the desire for additional revenue for the state would not traditionally be a goal of nonprofit organizations. This Act and new corporation may benefit average Americans, but its objectives are quite dissimilar to more "noble" campaigns for humanitarianism, environmental protection, etc. In addition, this issue is relevant to the way in which identities and norms can influence behavior. The US sees itself as a "modern nation," in the words of Reid, and apparently, all modern states have tourism promotion programs. The US is trying to fulfill its role and comply with norms; at least, the precedent set by other modern states legitimizes this new travel corporation.
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