WTTC Links with U.S. Travel Association to Share Resources

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) said they have signed a memorandum of understanding formally agreeing to share resources and to work closely together to promote the industry’s interests.

“With so many issues affecting both WTTC and US Travel, I am pleased that our two organizations, which share several of the same travel industry leaders as members, will work more co-operatively in sharing communications and research, as well as engaging more closely on future emergency preparedness issues to minimize the impact of future crises on travel and tourism,” said Roger Dow, USTA’s president and CEO. “We also look forward to working with WTTC on sustainability issues and other environmental concerns related to our industry,” Dow added. “Our similar missions to increase travel and tourism, and promote awareness of industry-related issues, make this a natural move for our two organizations.”

In order to achieve these objectives, the two organizations will support each other’s research, advocacy, communications and co-operative efforts. “In addition to exchanging travel and tourism market data and information on marketing, e-commerce, emergency preparedness and sustainability, we will cooperate on developing a strategic plan to identify mutually agreeable industry advocacy platform positions,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, WTTC president and CEO. The two organizations will also collaborate on mutually agreed meetings and events that will be held in the U.S., or which are relevant to the U.S. travel and tourism marketplace.