Senator Kerry (D-Ma) is proposing legislation that would stop Business Travel/Meetings & Convention business cold.  The US Travel Association estimates that this segment of the economy is $740 Billion annually.

The Departments of Labor and Commerce report that 200,000 travel related jobs were lost in 2008; they estimate that an additional 247,000 jobs will be lost in 2009.

Travel related jobs are defined as hotels, restaurants, rental cars, taxis, buses, limousines, major meeting destinations such as Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, etc., etc., etc., (IBM canceled a meeting and convention in Miami which was rumored to cost IBM $1Million in cancellation fees, out of fear of bad press).

Attached are the following:  NBTA Press Release, TLPA response to Senator Kerry, GCLA response to Senator Kerry; and finally a letter from LA, Inc.,  Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau, by Mark Liberman, President addressed to its members.

The “unintended consequences” of this proposed legislation is catastrophic for the US economy.  Please consider this information for your news broadcasts next week.

Please consider this story for your radio and television broadcasts next week.  The travel industry and the American Cities in the US need your help.

I appreciate your consideration.  Please call or email me if you have any questions or require additional information.

Sincerely,

Jonna Sabroff

Vice President & Legislative Chairman

Greater California Livery Association (GCLA)

Representing 5,000 limousine companies in the State of California