Travel performs at its best when the private sector and the government work together to achieve common goals
The US Travel Association today announced recipients of its 2023 Travel Champion award: U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
“Travel performs at its best when the private sector and the government work together to achieve common goals, and Senators Rosen and Sullivan and Secretary Raimondo each are credited with tremendous contributions towards this industry’s success,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.
“Each of our honorees has shown consistent dedication to helping travel grow and thrive.”
Travel is an essential contributor to the U.S. economy, supporting nearly 15 million American jobs and generating $2.6 trillion in total economic impact that benefits communities across the country.
The Travel Champion honor recognizes exceptional leadership in advancing and protecting policies that strengthen travel to and within the United States. The awards were presented this week in conjunction with the association’s Destination Capitol Hill event.
- Senator Jacky Rosen: As chair of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion, Senator Rosen has increased Congressional action on policies that grow and facilitate travel. Senator Rosen played a pivotal role in the enactment of her bipartisan Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act, which established an Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism and created the One-Stop Security pilot program. She also advanced top industry priorities, including passage of the Restoring Brand USA Act, establishing a Chief Travel and Tourism Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation and increasing federal investments in travel infrastructure.
- Senator Dan Sullivan: Senator Sullivan introduced the Visit America Act and was a lead cosponsor of the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act in the Senate, which established an Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism within the U.S. Department of Commerce. This critical new position will lead federal policies to grow and facilitate international and domestic travel and serve as a key federal liaison to the industry. Senator Sullivan has also been an active leader in efforts to reduce U.S. visitor visa wait times and provide emergency funding for Brand USA.
- Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo: From her earliest days leading the Commerce Department, Secretary Raimondo engaged the travel industry, sought the input of travel leaders and remains a key voice within the Biden Administration on the economic importance of travel and tourism. The Secretary was instrumental in reopening U.S. borders to international travelers after the COVID-19 health crisis and also championed a new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, including a visitation and spending goal, in consultation with the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
The Travel Champion Award is an annual honor presented to four Members of Congress (one Democrat and one Republican, from both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, respectively) and an Executive Branch official for exhibiting outstanding leadership to enact policies that spur increased travel to and within the United States.
Awardees must demonstrate a track record of advancing a policy agenda that promotes travel’s ability to create jobs and stimulate economic growth, as well as serve as a public spokesperson to further educate policymakers and government officials alike to raise the profile of travel nationally and in local communities.
Past Honorees
2022 Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) U.S. Senate
2022 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) U.S. Senate
2022 Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Illinois) U.S. House of Representatives
2019 Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) U.S. Senate
2019 Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) U.S. House of Representatives
2019 Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) U.S. Senate
2019 Rep. Tom Rice (R-South Carolina) U.S. House of Representatives
2019 Manisha Singh, Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment U.S. Department of State
2018 Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) U.S. Senate
2018 Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i) U.S. Senate
2018 Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) U.S. House of Representatives
2018 Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tennessee) U.S. House of Representatives
2017 Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colorado)
U.S. Senate
2017 Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida)
U.S. Senate
2017 Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky)
U.S. House of Representatives
2017 Rep. Judy Chu (D-California) U.S. House of Representatives
2016 Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nevada) U.S. Senate
2016 Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai’i) U.S. Senate
2016 Rep. David Jolly (R-Florida) U.S. House of Representatives
2016 Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) U.S. House of Representatives
2015 Sec. Penny Pritzker
U.S. Department of Commerce
2015 Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) U.S. Senate
2015 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) U.S. Senate
2015 Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida) U.S. House of Representatives
2015 Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) U.S. House of Representatives
2014 Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) U.S. Senate
2014 Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) U.S. Senate
2014 Rep. Sam Farr (D-California) U.S. House of Representatives
2014 Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nevada) U.S. House of Representatives
