International travelers to pay fee to enter U.S.

Next month, international travelers entering the United States will be required to pay a $14 fee, which will go to fund the Corporation for Travel Promotion, a marketing campaign aimed at increasing international travel to the United States. “Creating a tourism promotion program to encourage international visitors to vacation in America will help spur economic growth and create more jobs,” said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

The fee goes into effect Sept. 8 and applies to visitors from the 36 countries in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows visitors to come to the United States for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. This new marketing program is part of the Travel Promotion Act, signed into law last year by President Barack Obama. The travel promotion program is estimated to generate $4 billion in new visitor spending and 40,000 new jobs, according to Oxford Economics.

Update Sept. 14, 2010: Commerce Department names Corporation for Travel Promotion board members | Read more