For Immediate Release s493

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:

September 26, 2005

Rosemary McCormick 707-224-3795 [email protected] www.uscht.com

U.S. CULTURAL & HERITAGE TOURISM SUMMIT TO PRESENT NEW WHITE PAPER AND DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES TO MARKET U.S. TOURISM

Presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce and The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Washington, DC… More than 380 of the nation’s Cultural, Heritage and Tourism leaders will convene at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC, from October 6 to 8, 2005, to discuss and develop a new national strategy to increase U.S. tourism by promoting U.S. cultural and heritage attractions and experiences to domestic and international travelers. Official delegates appointed by state governors, as well as at large delegates from throughout the industry, will represent all 50 States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands at this industry milestone event.

The Mission Statement of the summit is to develop and expand Cultural & Heritage Tourism for the benefit of the nation’s economy, local community residents, cultural and heritage institutions, the travel and tourism industry and traveling consumers.

The theme of the Summit will be “Sharing America’s Stories,” with keynote presentations scheduled to include U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez; U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton and Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitchell Landrieu. Other featured speakers include Maine State Senator Beth Edmonds; Kansas State Senator Nick Jordan; Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper; Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, The President’s Committee on The Arts and The Humanities Chair Adair Margo; Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chair John Nau; Travel Industry Association of America CEO and Chairman Roger Dow; West Virginia First Lady Gayle Conelly Manchin; best selling author Steve Zikman, as well as tourism industry, cultural and heritage leaders from throughout the USA.

Studies by the U.S. Department of Commerce reveal that international visitors to the U.S. who engage in cultural and heritage experiences stay longer and spend more. Research conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America indicates that visiting cultural and heritage sites and attractions ranks among the top activities of all travelers to and within the United States. The summit program will address the growing popularity of “experience” driven travel, as well as the opportunity to engage America’s cultural and heritage treasures to help enhance the nation’s image internationally and foster global understanding.

Summit organizers will present a new White Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism. This is the first Cultural and Heritage Tourism White Paper issued since the historic White House Conference on Travel and Tourism was held in October 1995. The new White paper was developed over the past year and half through various national networks including Partners in Tourism and the Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance, as well as more than 100 leaders from travel, tourism, business, arts, humanities, natural resource managers, civic and government leaders. Each state delegation to the Summit will have the opportunity to take steps toward creating action plans based on the White Paper and devise a declaration that will reflect their commitment to the growth of this industry.

The U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Summit is presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce and The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with American Express, Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance, Partners In Tourism and Shop America Alliance.

Sponsors of the summit include: Alliance of National Heritage Areas, America’s Byways Resource Center, American Photo and Popular Photography & Imaging, Copia—The American Center for Wine, Food & The Arts, Cultural Tourism DC, Finger Lakes Tourism, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Gray Line Worldwide, International Tourism Marketing/Go West Summit, Institute of Museum & Library Services, Las Vegas Convention & Tourism Authority, Lockheed Martin, MD&A Advertising, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Geographic Traveler, NorthPark Center, Smart Destinations, Smithsonian magazine, Southwest Airlines, Union Station, USDM.net and West Virginia Tourism Commission.

Visit www.uscht.com for Registration, Program, Information and a draft copy of the new Cultural & Heritage Tourism White Paper.

For media credentials, please contact: Rosemary McCormick, Summit co-producer, Shop America Alliance, 707-224-3795 office or 707-494-8788 mobile.