Sam Farr: “I'd like to welcome our guests in the gallery today because this week is the 25th anniversary of National Tourism Week.…”

“I'd like to welcome our guests in the gallery today because this week is the 25th anniversary of National Tourism Week. As co-chair of the Congressional Tourism Caucus, along with my co-chair Jon Porter of Nevada and nearly 100 Members of Congress, we recognize the importance of the tourism industry to our national economy and to our local communities. It is the fastest growing industry in the world. From mom and pop restaurants to local unique shops to local State and national parks to this Capitol, which is a tourist attraction, there is so much to experience in this great country. The tourism industry also shows America's best face. Travelers experience warm, friendly and compassionate people that make up our country. This person-to-person contact between different cultures can help dissolve stereotypes and misconceptions. As Mark Twain once said, 'Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.' So remember that while our economy grows, tourism plays a multibillion-dollar aspect of that, employing more than 7.5 million people. I hope you will join me in welcoming the representatives of the tourism industry that are here this week and celebrating National Tourism Week. The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”