A Sneak Attack on Brand USA is Buried in the Fine Print of Tax Bill

Sneak attack.

A disturbing element is found in the list of budget cuts (it’s number 223 of 226) contained within the new tax bill. It calls for the elimination of funding for the Corporation for Travel Promotion, better known as Brand USA.

The cut is for the full $100 million, all of which is generated by fees paid by visitors from visa waiver countries. No one anticipated this, based on the strong bipartisan support for marketing the USA as a travel destination in key international markets.

Read more in the New York Times or in this summary (addressing whether it can it be reversed) by our sister publication, Inbound Report. (Hat tip to Steve Richer, tourism executive.)