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Building on the momentum from President Obama's announcement last week highlighting the travel industry's significance to the economy, the U.S. Travel Association announced a major year-long campaign intended to raise its profile across the nation and among policymakers in Washington, DC.

"The world is experiencing a travel boom and the United States needs to be part of it," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

"The impact of the $1.8 trillion U.S. travel industry is significant and growing, which is why we are galvanizing support and asking all Americans to 'Vote Travel' this election season."

The Vote Travel campaign will have several important elements over the course of the year and will have a significant presence at the political party conventions in Charlotte, N.C., and Tampa, Fla.

Additionally, the campaign plans to host events and rallies nationwide, perform strategic grassroots outreach, and undertake paid, social and earned media efforts.

The campaign goals include:

• Building support for travel industry policy and advocacy priorities among policymakers and the general electorate;
• Generating media attention surrounding the travel industry's impact on the U.S. economy, as well as state and local economies, including specific congressional districts;
• Strengthening the travel industry's visibility and relevance in Washington;
• Showcasing the critical importance of meetings and conventions with events during the Democratic and Republican conventions to target both convention attendees, as well as media;
• Deepening relationships with travel industry partners by helping them tell the story of the travel industry's importance to the U.S. economy; and
• Building additional grassroots support for U.S. Travel and the Power of Travel Coalition through social media platforms"Travel supports more than 14 million jobs in local communities and states across the nation," said Dow. "By casting a vote for travel, our industry can increase jobs, help our economy recover and get America moving."

Additionally, the Vote Travel campaign will utilize digital strategies similar to what the current presidential campaigns are using to target voters.

Focused programs using Twitter, Google and Facebook will allow U.S. Travel to engage with the industry, and those outside the industry who are supportive of travel, placing the organization in an elite group of Washington associations capable of activating support around policy initiatives.