Salazar Stresses Strategy for Tourism Growth at Area Stop

The U.S. is hoping to attract more foreign visitors – and their tourism dollars – to the country, and San Diego wants to grab as much of that money as possible.

The community is one of the region's prime attractions, and with destinations like the , can be a crucial lure for travelers, according to Ruben Barrales, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Coronado plays a special role, with the Hotel del as an iconic destination,” he said.

Barrales attended a town hall meeting Wednesday hosted by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who is set to submit a report to President Barack Obama this month outlining ways the country can become the world's most popular tourism destination. 

The United Nations World Tourism Organization tracks trends in the industry; in 2010, for instance, the most visitors flocked to France, followed by the U.S. China is quickly gaining, taking up the third spot.

The town hall was attended by about 35 local leaders and business people, who, like Barrales, want to see the region's tourism economy grow. The San Diego Zoo played host to Salazar, along with Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, who each fed flamingos and rhinoceroses for the cameras before settling in.

Salazar made his stop in San Diego following a similar trip to Las Vegas.
He said the president's goal is to better promote the U.S. as a destination, while reducing barriers to travel, such as complicated visa procedures.

This is “really a time when you have a focus from the President of the United States of America,” Salazar told his audience, urging them to forward any ideas as his aides help to finalize the tourism plan.

He also stressed that an 8.1 percent increase in foreign travelers the U.S. experienced in 2011 lead to the creation of 103,000 jobs. “We're coming back,” Salazar said, of the nation's overall job prospects, echoing a theme that President Obama has repeated in recent weeks as he ramps up his re-election campaign. 

“Jobs are absolutely critical,” the secretary said.  

While Salazar mentioned drawing travelers from nations with growing economies, such as Brazil, India and China, Barrales and representatives of Baja California's tourism industry noted the importance of the Mexican tourist to San Diego, Coronado and other local sites.

Barrales said he was in Washington D.C. last week and lobbied for an increased focus on Mexico in Salazar's report, which is being prepared with Secretary of Commerce John Bryson. 

The government, following the 2010 passage of the Travel Promotion Act, generates funds to promote the U.S. abroad via a $14 fee. Visitors who don't need to obtain visas to travel to the U.S. must pay the fee.

Salazar pointed to the U.K., Japan and New Zealand as examples of countries with national tourism promotion plans that the U.S. could emulate when using proceeds from the fee.

Others representatives at Wednesday's town hall included the San Diego Unified Port District, SeaWorld, the city of San Diego and San Diego State University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.