WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion Subcommittee hearing today on America the Beautiful: Promoting Our National Parks as Travel Destinations.

Witness List: 

Mr. Ken Burns, Filmmaker, Florentine Films

Mr. Michael Ward, Superintendent, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, U.S. National Park Service

Ms. Diane Shober, Travel and Tourism Director for the State of Wyoming

Mr. Will Shafroth, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior

Mr. Scott Bacher, Owner, Carlsbad KOA

Mr. Clyde Butcher, Photographer 

Key Quotations from Today’s Hearing:

“Our national parks are national treasures. They teach us about nature and the environment and our vast, beautiful country. They also serve as an economic catalyst in many areas of our country, helping to sustain communities large and small. So, I hope that, together, we can use market-based tools to learn about visitor trends, communicate with target audiences, and promote both good environmental stewardship and local economies. As our world goes online and grows more connected every day, we must be creative and find new ways to attract foreign and domestic tourists alike to our national parks.”

Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

“Our national parks are woven into American culture. They are on ‘must see’ lists for domestic and international travelers and are icons of America. But these parks are more than beautiful national resources. They are also important economic resources and increasing tourism at national parks will benefit local economies and help create jobs.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Chairwoman, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion

“Once the nation was formed, it's hard to think of an idea that came from our government any better than the national parks…National parks are not only America's best idea. They are the best investment this Congress can make.”

Mr. Ken Burns, Filmmaker, Florentine Films 

“The new Corporation for Travel Promotion could potentially help market and share America’s great outdoors with more international travelers. Voyageurs National Park and its gateway communities offer recreation, history, culture, and scenic beauty that we believe visitors from abroad would enjoy immensely, if only they knew enough about the park to plan a visit there.”

Mr. Michael Ward, Superintendent, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, U.S. National Park Service 

“Each year we spend millions of dollars on advertising Wyoming as a destination. Our advertising budget averages right at $6 million annually and we deploy marketing messages via television, magazine, online, outdoor, direct mail and through social media campaigns. We hang our hat on the fact that traveling consumers associate Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Devils Tower as differentiators for Wyoming and you will always see one of them featured in our national advertising campaign.”

Ms. Diane Shober, Travel and Tourism Director for the State of Wyoming 

“The National Park Service is proud to be a steward of our nation’s most revered natural, historical, and cultural sites and to welcome visitors from across the nation and all over the world to enjoy these special places…When we engage our tourism partners to invite Americans and overseas travelers, we expand our capacity to inform audiences about a myriad of enjoyable experiences and environmental stewardship which are the cornerstones of the National Park Service mission.”

Mr. Will Shafroth, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior 

“…The park’s impact on me and my business is significant. I know that if the national park closed for good tomorrow my business would dry up and blow away. I count on the caverns to be there and provide the excellent services that they do and on having such as great working relationship with them.”

Mr. Scott Bacher, Owner, Carlsbad KOA

“The most important way to encourage people to visit our national parks is through advertising. Advertisements need to capture the essence of the park. It has been my experience that when imagery evokes beauty and adventure, people will fall in love with the park and want to experience it for themselves.”

Mr. Clyde Butcher, Photographer

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