Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/1037

 PUBLIC LAW 97-63—OCT. 16, 1981

95 STAT. 1011

Public Law 97-63 97th Congress An Act To amend the International Travel Act of 1961 to establish a national tourism policy, and for other purposes.

Oct. 16, 1981 [S. 304]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. National Tourism Policy Act. SHORT TITLE SECTION

Act".

1. This Act may be cited as the "National Tourism Policy note. 2121 22 USC ""^" NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY

SEC. 2. (a) The International Travel Act of 1961 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Act") is amended by striking out the first section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "That this Act may 22 USC 2121 be cited as the 'International Travel Act of 1961'. "°t« "TITLE I—NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY "SEC. 101. (a) The Congressfindsthat— 22 USC 2121. "(1) the tourism and recreation industries are important to the United States, not only because of the numbers of people they serve and the vast human, financial, and physical resources they employ, but because of the great benefits tourism, recreation, and related activities confer on individuals and on society as a whole; "(2) the Federal Government for many years has encouraged tourism and recreation implicitly in its statutory commitments to the shorter workyear and to the national passenger transportation system, and explicitly in a number of legislative enactments to promote tourism and support development of outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and historic and natural heritage resources; (3) as incomes and leisure time continue to increase, and as our economic and political systems develop more complex global relationships, tourism and recreation will become ever more important aspects of our daily lives; and "(4) the existing extensive Federal Government involvement in tourism, recreation, and other related activities needs to be better coordinated to effectively respond to the national interest in tourism and recreation and, where appropriate, to meet the needs of State and local governments and the private sector. "(b) There is established a national tourism policy to— "(1) optimize the contribution of the tourism and recreation industries to economic prosperity, full employment, and the international balance of payments of the United States; "(2) make the opportunity for and benefits of tourism and recreation in the United States universally accessible to resi-

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