Trump to axe Brand USA?

JUST days out from the start of the US Travel Association’s annual tradeshow IPW in Washington DC, the Trump Administration has called for America’s destination marketing organisation Brand USA to be dumped.

According to President Trump’s Federal Budget proposal, the 7yo Brand USA would be eliminated, with its revenue used to fund Customs & Border Protection efforts, USA Today reports.

Trump’s theory is the proposal would reduce the deficit by $510m over the next three years.

In response, US Travel Assoc president & ceo Roger Dow said the strategy was questionable.

“With all that’s going on in the world, unilaterally disarming the marketing of the US as a travel destination would be to surrender market share at the worst possible time,” Dow said.

He added that Brand USA’s proposed dumping is “especially perplexing” given it has the support of both the Commerce Secretary and the Office of Management & Budget (OMB).

“Brand USA isn’t funded with a dime of taxpayer money, reduced the deficit by US$50 million, and by the OMB’s own accounting, eliminating it would put the federal budget further in the red.

“With international visitation being the country’s No. 2 export... we’re struggling to understand how cutting Brand USA squares with this administration’s stated priorities,” Dow remarked.