Remarks by Arnold A. Chacón, Chargé d’AffairEs, a.i. at FITUR, January 28, 2009

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

As the Chargé d´Affaires of the US Embassy, it is my pleasure to extend a warm welcome to the participants of our two pavilions at FITUR 2009 and to our distinguished Spanish guests. With the recent change in our Administration, I have the privilege and responsibility of guiding this Embassy over the coming months until a new Ambassador is appointed. It gives me great pleasure that one of my first activities as Chargé d´Affaires is to welcome you here tonight.

Nowadays, commercial relations can be as effective in international affairs as the most traditional diplomacy. Tourism is a key component in this area. The business and cultural ties that result from a healthy tourism environment are vitally important to the ongoing relations between countries. Promoting tourism to the United States not only gives us the opportunity to provide people with a closer look at the diversity of our country’s geography and attractions, but also with an opportunity to share with them the rich and varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds that make up our nation.

Spain has had a stellar performance over the last several years and continues to be a market of opportunity for destinations in the United States. It is the sixth largest European market and 13th largest international market for outbound travel to the United States with almost 516,000 visitors in 2007 and over 600,000 estimated for 2008.

As you know, Spanish citizens traveling as tourists to the United States do not require a visa. However, on January 12, the requirement for an advance travel authorization, known as the ESTA program, came into effect. Our experience to date is that travelers receive approval to their applications very quickly. This program provides more assurance to the traveler that they will have a smooth entry once they arrive in the United States.

Given the importance of this program, representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will have a booth in our Discover America Pavilion at FITUR. The team of professionals on-site will be happy to answer your questions throughout the week.

Before closing, I would like to thank you all again for being here and for so actively supporting tourism to the United States. I would also like to thank the pavilion recruiters for their hard work and also thank Commercial Counselor Ellen Lenny-Pessagno and Senior Commercial Specialist Helen Crowley for the efforts they have put into making this event the success that I am sure it will be.

Again, thank you all for coming. Please continue to enjoy the reception, and have a great FITUR week.

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