Biden Signs Law Funding New U.S. Tourism Czar

Photo Caption: Geoff Freeman, head of the US Travel Association (left) speaking with Fred Dixon of NYC Tourism and Dawit Habtemariam of Skift at Skift Global Forum 2023 in New York City. Source: Skift.
Skift Take
Nearly every other country has a tourism minister or tourism secretary. In a halfway fix, the U.S. Congress passed funding bills Friday that included money to hire an assistant secretary of commerce for travel and tourism.
The U.S. Senate passed key government funding bills Friday evening — with one that included "up to $3.5 million of funding for the office of the assistant secretary of commerce for travel and tourism.
President Joe Biden signed the legislation Saturday, setting up the Commerce Department to fill the role.
Congress created the assistant secretary position in 2022 with the aspiration of ensu