Travel industry leaders are hailing President Barack Obama's move to increase tourism in the U.S. through an expansion of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Speaking in Florida, the president said the initiative will free up the waiting period for non-immigrant visas, especially in the emerging markets of China and Brazil, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. "More money spent by more tourists means more business and more jobs,” Obama said at the Walt Disney World theme park. The president continued that the U.S. should be "the top tourist destination in the world." The Global Business Travel Association said the renewed focus on travel will also help increase business travel by 4.6% this year. Obama is also calling on the the Commerce and Interior Departments to make a list of recommendations to promote domestic and international travel in the U.S., including at national parks and historic sites. The White House said that travel and tourism represented approximately 2.7% of the total gross domestic product and supported 7.5 million jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for travel agents will be best for those with advanced postsecondary training on their resume. |