National Travel and Tourism Office
National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO)
In addition to providing statistics, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) creates a positive climate for growth in travel and tourism by reducing institutional barriers to tourism, administers joint marketing efforts, provides official travel and tourism statistics, and coordinates efforts across federal agencies through the Tourism Policy Council. The Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth.
2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy
The Department of Commerce, on behalf of the federal interagency Tourism Policy Council, is launching the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy (Strategy) to recover and rebuild a U.S. travel and tourism industry that is more inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and resilient, positioning the sector to drive economic development and export revenue. The Strategy seeks to utilize the full efforts of the federal government to promote the United States as a premiere destination that is representative of the breadth and diversity of its communities, and to foster a sector that creates good jobs for more Americans and is a positive force for sustainability.
2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy
FACT SHEET: 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy
Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB)
The United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. The Board advises the Secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offers counsel on current and emerging issues, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems. Visit the TTAB page
Brand USA
NTTO is the official liaison to Brand USA for the U.S. federal government. The Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA) has a multi-language consumer website available whose primary purpose is to provide international travelers with a “one-stop shop” for travel information about the United States. This public-private partnership allows thousands of U.S. travel and tourism industry organizations to be exposed to traveling consumers around the globe, providing them with additional export assistance resources. It covers all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and hundreds of U.S. destinations. Visit the Brand USA page.
Intergovernmental Organizations
NTTO represents U.S. tourism interests in intergovernmental organizations to lead the global efforts for travel and tourism policy concerns and issues, including chairing the Tourism Committee for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
It also serves as the USG official head delegate to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Tourism Working Group and the official U.S. government observer and participant on committees and activities of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
TI News
TI News is an information service from NTTO providing up to date Travel and Tourism Industry news. Visit TI News.
NTTO Staff Directory
Mark Keam
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism
Julie Heizer
Deputy Director
(202) 482-4904
Email Julie Heizer
Jennifer Aguinaga
Deputy Director, Policy and Planning
(202) 482-2404
Email Jennifer Aguinaga
Melissa Bennett
Administration
(202) 482-4004
Email Melissa Bennett
Mark Brown
Economist
(202) 482-4754
Email Mark Brown
Richard Champley
Program Manager & Senior Research Analyst
(202) 482-4753
Email Richard Champley
Curt Cottle
Policy and Planning
(202) 482-4601
Email Curt Cottle
Christina Gay
International Trade Specialist
(202) 482-4257
Email Christina Gay
Rafael Gabriel
Economist, Research
(202) 482-4555
Email Rafael Gabriel
David Huether
Deputy Director, Research
(202) 482-1757
Email David Huether
Samuel Ortiz
Policy Analyst, Research
Email Samuel Ortiz
Margie Parker
Program Assistant
(202) 482-2408
Email Margie Parker
Frank Spector
Deputy Director, Operations
(202) 482-2054
Email Frank Spector
Schermin Smiley
Administration
(202) 482-4866
Email Schermin Smiley
John Terpening
Economist
(202) 482-6390
Email John Terpening