Obama hedges on tourism marketing dollars | | 
| | | Obama "knows where South Beach is"
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11 AUG 2008: The winds of change don’t appear to be blowing too strongly when it comes to a budget for a US tourism marketing campaign. In an interview last week, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s remarks on the subject sounded more like Dan Quayle than John Kennedy and had a disappointing ‘political-speak’ aspect to them.
"I'm a big believer in doing what works," Obama told the Orlando Sentinel when asked if the federal government should have a role in paying for tourism advertising.
"If we're advertising and studies show that it's not making any difference, then why waste the money? If we're advertising and it's bringing in more revenue than if we weren't advertising, then we should do it. Because, look, money's tight right now. And there are a lot of potential uses for that money. And I think people know where South Beach is."
That’s saying a little bit of everything and not much of anything, and it’s all a long way from his usual oratorical heights. However, the National Tour Association said it is "encouraged" by Obama's comments.
The NTA, along with the Travel Industry Association (TIA) and Discover America, have long tried to secure greater funding to market the US as a destination to international tourists.
"We accept Senator Obama's invitation to prove the effectiveness of travel marketing by the US. government," said NTA chairman and CEO Bob Hoelscher.
"We look forward to partnering with him to increase the economic impact, job creation and favourable international balance of trade payments by documenting results, which other nations have already seen and embraced."
Good luck.
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