WEWiT Holiday Party - Silent Auction

Dear Friends,

I need for anyone who is contributing something to the silent auction to contact me immediately at (click >) bostain@alexecon.org to let me know what you're bringing, and I'll make arrangements with you about picking it up.

If you would rather call me, my phone number is 703-739-3820 x105. Please search your hearts and heads to come up with items for the auction - we really want this to work at our Holiday luncheon! Thank you!

(Note: if I don't hear from a significant number of people about their donations for the auction, I'll begin calling you, and I really don't want to do that.)

Lynn W. Bostain, CMP, CTC
Manager, Business Development
Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Inc.
1729 King St. Ste. 410
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-739-3820 x105
fax: 703-739-1384
www.alexecon.org

A New Opportunity For The Travel Industry

Dear Travel Industry Colleague:

On behalf of the entire travel community, I extend congratulations to Senator Obama in being elected to serve as the 44th President of the United States. With a new administration and dozens of new Members of Congress, we look forward to working with our policy leaders to address two of the most daunting challenges facing America today: improving the U.S. economy and strengthening America's image around the world. We have already seen President-elect Obama take important steps over the past year to demonstrate his support for travel by cosponsoring the Travel Promotion Act, encouraging expansion of the Visa Waiver Program and speaking out on our nation's deteriorating air travel system. He now has an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to improving the American economy and winning hearts and minds around the world by supporting lower barriers to travel to and within the United States, and by making improvement of the travel process a central priority of his administration.

The change in administration and balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate provides opportunities for the travel community. These changes are also likely to provide new challenges, including greater support for "card check" legislation that would remove employees' right to vote for or against unionization in a secret ballot; possible increases in tax burdens for small, medium and large businesses; and renewed enthusiasm for climate change legislation that could include carbon taxes and other increases in travel costs.

In the coming weeks, we will help inform President-elect Obama's transition team and build a winning strategy to increase travel to and within the United States. We will share elements of these plans with you as they become available.

TIA has a positive agenda for change that includes modernizing America's infrastructure and travel processes, creating jobs and improving the nation's energy security. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama, his administration and the new Congess to achieve these goals and build a stronger America.

Sincerely,

Roger Dow