Congresswoman Kathy Castor released the following statement today regarding President Obama’s Executive Order to establish visa and foreign visitor processing goals and the task force on travel and competitiveness:

“I applaud President Obama’s actions today creating a National Travel & Tourism Strategy to promote domestic and international travel that will boost jobs in the Sunshine State.  Last year I called on the President to ease visa requirements for Brazilian travelers to aid Florida’s struggling economy that relies on tourism.  Today’s announcement improves the process for our visitors from other countries and means that more jobs will be created right here in Florida.

I have heard directly from Busch Gardens in my district that tourists from Brazil are some of their best customers, yet often choose to travel to other locations due to delays with the visa process.  It is estimated that international travel to the U.S. supports 1.2 million jobs.  Increasing international tourism will be a real shot in the arm to the Tampa Bay economy.”

Castor represents parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Manatee counties, including Busch Gardens and the Tampa International Airport.  She wrote the attached letter to President Obama in March, 2011 requesting that Brazil be included in the Visa Waiver Program in order to increase international tourism to the Tampa Bay Area.  Castor was also a major champion of the Travel Promotion Act which created a nonprofit Corporation for Travel Promotion to actively promote and market the United States to tourists from other countries.

Click here to read the letter