A U.S. congressman has drafted and is preparing to introduce legislation to promote regional travel within the nation.
Representative Sam Farr, a democrat from California, has penned the Travel Regional Investment Act, according to the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).
As currently written, this legislation will establish a competitive grant program administered by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries to promote regional tourism growth and new domestic tourism market creation.
Grants would range from $100,000 to $1 million and recipients could be convention and visitor bureaus or "partnerships between a state or local government and a local tourism entity."
The bill would authorize $10 million to be spent annually for five years to implement the legislation.
The ARVC is analyzing this legislation and working with Farr to determine how it can be strengthened.
Representative Farr was awarded the ARVC's 2009 National Public Service Award, which recognized the congressman for his many years of leadership on behalf of the travel and tourism industry. He is co-chairman of the Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus and has been an outspoken supporter of federal support in all forms for the travel and tourism industry.