The list of 25 finalists in Hallmark’s Merriest Christmas Town are out and two of the festive communities are active members of the Tourism Advocacy Network: Cullman, Alabama and Lewisburg, West Virginia. You can view their entries and vote here.

It would be great to have the network support their tourism colleagues. If they win, I will set up a discussion or podcast on working with Hallmark. Or they can just invite all of us to the movie premier.

You can vote once a day, and voting runs through September 4, 2026.

Gulf Coast communities waged a years long fight for the return of the Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service, which runs from Mobile to New Orleans. At the one-year anniversary of the restored service, the performance metrics justify that sustained advocacy: 150,000 riders in the first year, far exceeding the initial estimate of 38,000, and generating about $5.2 million in revenue. AL.com reports Amtrak’s Gulf Coast Mardi Gras train exceeds first year projections, faces facility needs.

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker celebrated the rail services success with an op-ed in the Magnolia Tribune, Amtrak’s Mardi Gras line boosts jobs, tourism.

New Orleans Times Picayune weighed in with an editorial, Amtrak’s Mardi Gras service’s success boosts entire region.

The Tourism Advocacy Network supported the EXPLORE Act, which directed federal agencies to expand public land and outdoor recreation access for people with disabilities. We are now starting to see the impact of that landmark law. USA Today reports on an initiative by the National Park Service to increase accessibility to one of its most popular parks in Zion is opening part of the park to more travelers than ever.

National Park Week 2026 is August 22 to 30. This year’s theme is “Celebrate America’s Story.” The National Park Service (NPS) has posted resources, including theme days, fee-free days, and social media hashtags to help provide content to celebrate our national parks and the NPS staff that make our parks special places. Note that NPS will celebrate its 110th birthday on August 25. The NPS National Park Week page can be found here.

Today, NPS and the University of Tennessee announced a new partnership to train the next generation of leaders in the fields of outdoor recreation and public land management. The School of Natural Resources and the Herbert College of Agriculture at the university recently established the Outdoor Recreation and Park Management program. Students in the program complete a rigorous course of academic study that includes a strong science-based curriculum, certification in critical skills such as wilderness medicine and swiftwater rescue and numerous field experiences at protected areas across the East Tennessee region and beyond. Activities such as rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking and camping are all part of the experience.

More details on the new academic program are available in the NPS press release.

The Anderson Observer reports County Readies to Revive Savannah River National Scenic Byway. The Savannah River National Scenic Byway, which is 110 miles long and stretches through four counties and three major lakes near the western tip of the state, was designated as a National Scenic Byway in 1998. It became dormant after the required corridor management plan was never submitted. Anderson County is working to revive the byway as part of its new comprehensive economic development plan to develop the region’s outdoor tourism and reinforce its identity as South Carolina’s “freshwater coast.”

Good Reads

POLITICO reports that the Great American Road Trip reality TV series filmed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his family has been released on YouTube.

The six-episode series can be viewed here. Each video runs around 30 minutes.

WVVA-TV reports West Virginia celebrates successful first year of Tourism Works, a workforce development initiative. More than 4,000 residents enrolled, and have collectively earned over 25,000 microcredentials and completed more than 1,000 college credit hours.

Good news alert: The Smithsonian announces Three Adorable Red Panda Cubs Born This Summer at National Zoo’s Front Royal Campus. The release notes: “The cubs are really just balls of fur that eat and sleep right now,” said Jessica Kordell, assistant curator of carnivores. No webcams to follow the baby pandas but the pictures are adorable. This story may have made my August.

Senate confirms Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA and clears 73 other Trump nominees before adjourning, report PBS. E&E News reports that FEMA overhaul now likely as agency gets new leader backed by Congress.

A hat tip to Team Alabama who had me researching a completely different issue when I came across this RFP from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for projects to be considered for funding under the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund. In FY27, up to $11 million in grants will be available to eligible projects will reduce marine debris from coastal habitats and nearshore waters of coastal counties in Guam, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina impacted by the 2023-2024 hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton, and Typhoon Mawar.

NFWF is holding a proposal webinar on August 20, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Registration form is available here.

Proposal Deadline is October 21, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Awards will be announced in March 2027.

Detailed information on the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund FY27 grants and a link to the application is available here.

This a targeted grant opportunity but for many of communities still struggling to recover from Hurricanes Helena and Milton, this would be critical funding.

Good Reads

WRNJ Radio: Morris Country (NJ) launches Farm Trail Passport to promote local farms.

KFOX14: Las Cruces launches self-guided film tour highlighting movie and TV locations.

Travel Mole: Philadelphia turns books into a destination. Key takeaway: “In an increasingly competitive U.S. tourism market, the Greater Philadelphia region is effectively using literature as an unconventional destination-marketing tool, linking bookstores and literary themes with hotels, gardens, museums, bars, and historic buildings.

It is August in an election year, this is an excellent time to talk to your congressional delegation about the issues that matter to your community. The Senate Agriculture Committee has been considering incorporating the AGRITOURISM Act into the Farm Bill. The final text of the America the Beautiful Act is being worked out. And a bill to reauthorize the American Battlefields Protection Program needs to be approved by the Senate. There is a lot to talk about with your elected officials. I am attaching the summer talking points below so tourism leaders are prepared to talk tourism should the opportunity arise. And if you do have a meeting, please send along photos. We love to advocacy in action.

Tourism Talkikng Points

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Grants range from $50,000 to $500,000. Funding categories include: Capitol Projects, Endowment & Financial Sustainability, Organizational Capacity, Project Planning, and Programming & Interpretation.

In 2026, the Trust awarded grants to 33 historically Black churches across the United States for a collective $8.5 million in funding to support critical preservation work including building repair and programming interpretation that elevates the significance of the historically Black church’s cultural legacy. Details on the 2026 grant recipients can be found here. The projects funded are amazing.

At the local level, Trust staff have been terrific advocacy partners with tourism. This grants program is an opportunity for tourism offices, national heritage areas, and Main Streets to provide community leadership. More information on the guidelines and eligibility for the Preserving Black Churches grants, as well as a link to the application for can be found here.

Application deadline: September 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

POLITICO reports on a Government Accountability Office report that found the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cut its workforce so quickly and haphazardly in the last 18 months that it is unprepared for the current hurricane season that lasts through the end of November. For those who want to do a deep dig into FEMA’s challenges, the full GAO report to Congress is FEMA WORKFORCE: Staff Reductions and Lack of Planning May Impact Mission Readiness.

Spectrum News reports that Florida’s Hillsborough Schools launch tourism-based magnet program to address workforce shortages and give students a direct career pathway to one of Tampa Bay’s biggest industries.

The Creative Bloq, has an interesting piece on the creative background for Vermont Tourism’s new logo which is inspired by the state’s attractions.

Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative. An initiative of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC. The initiative provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations working to create and renovate multi-use youth sport spaces in under-resourced communities across the country. Grant awards will range from $50,000-$100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. For tourism the grants are an opportunity to invest in sports and recreation facilities that create vibrant sports infrastructure, attract tournaments and events and drive visitors to small businesses and attractions.

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The World Heritage Committee recognized the Okefenokee for its outstanding ecological processes, exceptional biodiversity, and status as one of the world's largest and most intact subtropical freshwater peatland ecosystems. The designation further elevates the refuge as a global destination for conservation, scientific research, historical tourism, outdoor recreation, and environmental education.

The press release from the Okefenokee Swamp Park and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp can be read here.

More information on the Okefenokee’s World Heritage Site designation can be found here.

On Wednesday, July 29, at 9:30 a.m. ET, the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee is holding a business meeting to mark up 39 bills. A number of bills from last week’s hearing are on the agenda, including:

• S. 791, to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site in the State of Maryland.

• S. 2767/H.R. 5254, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings.

• S. 2933, A bill to redesignate a playground in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in the State of West Virginia as the "Hearts of Gold Playground: In Honor of West Virginia Children and Families Impacted by Childhood Cancer".

• 3 National Heritage Area bills to authorize feasibility studies/designation.

The full listing of the bills considered is in the hearing notice. A link to the webcast of the hearing will be available on the page on Wednesday morning.

Not including in the meeting agenda is S. 3524, a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the American Battlefields Protection Program and S. 1674, a bill to modify the boundary of Mammoth Cave National Park to add 551 acres to the site. The committee wanted more time to consider the National Park Service’s comments. A business meeting will be scheduled in September to mark up additional bill.

I’m tracking these bill because the committee action demonstrates that they have some momentum and a good chance of being approved by Congress by the end of the year. The August recess is a good opportunity to reach out to your congressional delegation to let them know the legislation that is important to your community.

Today, USA Today published a special edition recognizing our federal partner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for 250 years of service to the nation. Our advocacy partner, the Corps Foundation, was given a free full page ad to highlight their work and provide visibility to the thousands of Corps of Engineers personnel and the many organizations that work with USACE. It’s a great look that USACE’s work on America’s lakes and waterways and outdoor recreation. The Corp Foundation ad is on page 73, the special edition can be read here.

ALX Now looks at how the historic Virginia city is navigating two consecutive years of budget cuts in Visit Alexandria CEO Todd O’Leary is charting a new path for city tourism.

Tourism Summer Talking Points

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The Senate will be in session through August 7 and will be in recess for 5 weeks, returning on September 14. Much of the next two weeks are expected to be taken up by considering political and judicial nominations but it something moves I will update the talking points.

At the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks hearing on July 21, Charles Cuvelier, Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection, National Park Service, testified on behalf of the Trump Administration on 25 public lands bills, including S. 3524, legislation to reauthorize the American Battlefields Protection Program. At the hearing he opposed nearly every bill on the grounds that the National Park Service is focusing its resources on other critical priorities, primarily addressing the deferred maintenance backlog. As long standing partners of the National Park Service, frontline tourism leaders know that NPS staff are skilled at managing multiple priorities, that is just one reason why we are advocating for full funding and staffing for NPS. Mr. Cuvelier’s testimony is posted below for background.

While it is nice to have NPS support, not having it will not derail passage of these bills. The hearing is a pro forma action that sets up the Energy & Natural Resources Committee to mark up these bills. Continue to press Congress to approve S. 3524 and other key public lands bills.

Cuvelier Testimony 7 21 26 Senr Cmte Np Subcmte Hrg

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Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is in the news this week. He is launching the Independent Leadership Council, a new effort to elect independent candidates to Congress that will focus on competitive seats the 2026l election cycle. Semafor has more details on Manchin’s plans The Independent Leadership Council has organized a meeting in West Virginia this week to connect candidates, donors, and strategists. This reinforced for me that due to the high stakes of the 2026 elections, many states that aren’t typically battleground states are going to find themselves getting visits from national political reporters. Tourism offices may want consider producing an election year guide to visiting your state or region provide visiting journalists with a true sampling of the state’s culture and hot spots, in order to better inform their reporting and hopefully pick up some national coverage.

Travel Weekly reports Brand USA plans tourism marketing push in Canada. The effort will launch in the fall.

Tomorrow, the Senate Energy & National Resources Subcommittee on National Parks is holding a hearing to consider 25 public lands bills, including these that may be of interest to members of this network:

• S. 3524, a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the American Battlefields Protection Program. This is a policy priority for the Tourism Advocacy Network.

• S. 1674, a bill to modify the boundary of Mammoth Cave National Park to add 551 acres to the site.

• S. 2767/H.R. 5254, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings.

• Two bills authorizing feasibility studies for potential National Heritage Areas: Canterbury Shaker Village National Heritage Area in New Hampshire and Monterey Bay National Heritage Area in California.

• Two bills designating sites as components of the National Heritage Area System: Calumet National Heritage Area in Indiana and Illinois and Endless Mountains National Heritage Area in Pennsylvania.

• S. 3925, a bill to establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park.

• S. 4767, a bill to extend the authorization of the African American Civil Rights Network.

The hearing is tomorrow, June 21 at 4:30 pm ET. The witness have not yet been announced. The hearing notice can be read here. There will also be link on that page to livestream the hearing.

These hearings are important because they signal which bill have momentum in Congress and have a chance of being approved they the end of the year. Please review the list of bills, if there is one listed that is of importance to your community, please let me know so I can track it.

Traverse City Tourism is asking: Can rural communities make accessibility part of their identify? Rapid Growth Media takes a look at the effort in Traverse City recognizes how accessibility can build tourism.

As sports and accessibility are hot segments of the tourism sector. Sports Travel reports that Lakeshore Consulting is helping tourism bureaus to capitalize on these trends by producing a comprehensive plan for municipalities and organizations that aim to make sporting events more inclusive for people with disabilities.

Lakeshore Consulting Services is a project of Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Alabama, which holds more than 100 years of experience in adapted sports and service to people with disabilities. It is an official Olympic and Paralympic Training Site and home to three Paralympic sport organizations. The Blueprint for Hosting Disability Inclusive Sporting Events can be accessed here.

With World Cup wrapping up, ESPN has produced a terrific short documentary, The Most Famous Seven Notes in Sports, on how a Detroit rock anthem has become a global sports sensation. One more thing World Cup fans are taking away from America! It’s also a great example of how sports and music, the cornerstones of American culture, can bring people together.

CBC News reports Canadian trips to U.S. inch up despite months-long travel boycott. Key takeaway: a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research, sees the uptick as a slight “normalization” of travel by Canadians to the U.S., rather than a sign that Canadians are abandoning the “elbows up” movement.

In a sign that restoring relations with Canada should be best left to the tourism sector, a Congresswoman from New York with the support of the U.S. spirits industry has introduced legislation to direct the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to launch an investigation into Canadian provincial restrictions on American beer, wine and spirits and if unfair trade practices are found to unfair trade practices, the president could be authorised to impose retaliatory tariffs or other trade restrictions. The Drinks Business reports Could the CANADA Act deepen the U.S.-Canada drink trade war? The stakes are high in this fight. Since March 2025, every Canadian province except Alberta and Saskatchewan has removed American alcohol from government-controlled liquor stores. But escalating the trade battle is not the way to ease tensions with Canada or to get U.S. spirits flowing into Canada and Canadian tourists flowing into U.S. communities.

USA Today: Congress may try to fix FEMA. Is this controversial agency broken? For those who want to dig deeper into the legislation, the written testimony from yesterday’s House Transportation & Infrastructure hearing on Reforming FEMA: Ensuring the Nation’s Disaster Readiness Works for Americans, as well as video of the hearing can be accessed here.

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More details are available here. Deadline for entering is 11:59 ET on August 10, 2026.

For those who made need some inspiration, did you know that Hallmark now sells wine?

The Department of the Interior is requesting nominations for long-distance biking trails — 80 miles or more — primarily located on public lands. The initiative to develop long-distance biking corridors is designed to drive local tourism while ensuring the federal government is a responsible steward of the nation’s natural resources.

The EXPLORE Act, which was approved by Congress in December 2024 with the strong support of this network, includes Section 121, the Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act that directs the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to identify no fewer than 10 long-distance biking trails that make use of existing trails and roads, and no fewer than 10 areas where there is an opportunity to develop or complete future long-distance biking trails.

More details on the initiative and link to nominate bike trails can be found here. The deadline for nominations is August 3, 2026.

FEMA support for communities hard hit by natural disasters over the last 18 months has been exceedingly slow to be delivered but yesterday, the national disaster relief agencies released an additional $167 million dollars in recovery assistance to hard hit communities in Western North Carolina. More details are available in the FEMA press release.

Good Reads

The National Park Service has released A Guidebook and Toolkit for Gateway Community Heritage Tourism and Economic Development Capacity Building as the first project of the Chesapeake Gateway Communities Initiative. While focused on Chesapeake Bay communities, the guide is is designed to help communities thrive as a gateway—to grow local capacity, highlight assets, ground in being great places to live, improve visitor support services, connect people to their public lands and historic sites, and share what makes a community special. These are insights and resources that can support gateway communities of all geographic locations.

The America 250 celebration in the nation’s capital was beset with organizational and weather challenges. The most disappointing was the cancellation of the America 250 parade with less than 24 hours notice. The Bishop Newmann Cavaliers of Wahoo, NE, had practiced for a year and graduating seniors remained with the band for the opportunity to play in the national parade. Their band director jumped into action to see if he could find a spot for the band to play after traveling 1200 miles. The Capitol Hill BID, which had debated cancelling the parade, but on the morning of July 4 decided to proceed with caution by rallying local businesses to provide heat alleviation resources, extended an invitation to the Bishop Newmann Cavaliers band. In turn, DC got the opportunity to show some visiting high school student the real DC — a small town at the core of the nation’s capitol. The Hill Rag has more details and great photos from the annual parade.

Gary Wheat, President & CEO of Visit Macon, will be testifying in support of the legislation. The hearing starts at 10 a.m. ET and will be live-streamed. You can watch it here.

The Great American State Fair may have gotten off to a rocky start but many of the state tourism displays are getting rave reviews. In this overview of the Great American State Fair, the New York Times praises Mississippi’s elaborate display and quotes Rochelle Hicks, Mississippi’s tourism director. Other states were highlighted, including Tennessee, which was praised for showcasing their complex state history.

Last week, the Department of the Interior quietly released the Interagency Recreation Visitation Data Report, the first unified compilation of recreation visitation estimates across all federal land and water management agencies, as directed by the EXPLORE Act. The landmark report provides a comprehensive, standardized view of how millions of people experience outdoor recreation across hundreds of millions of acres of federally managed public lands and waters.

Outdoor recreation continues to be a key segment of the tourism sector, and supports $1.2 trillion in economic output, 5 million jobs, and 2.3% of the U.S. gross domestic product each year. Activities such as hiking, camping, boating, wildlife viewing and nature study deliver health, cultural, and community benefits while strengthening small businesses and rural and gateway communities. Increased participation in nature-based recreation underscores the public’s growing demand for access to America’s natural spaces.

The report can be accessed here.

Today once the House finished voting, it will recess until July 13. The Senate adjourned last week. When they return, they will have two weeks in session before adjourning for the August recess, which will start on July 24. As it is an election year, Members of Congress will be out and about in the community, which is a good time to talk with them about the issues that matter to tourism. Post below are the Travel & Tourism Summer Talking Points to help you make the most of any encounters with your congressional delegation.

Tourism Summer Talking Points

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Good Reads

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate reports Visitors spend nearly $1 billion as tourism surges. Local officials cite sports tourism as a top driver as it is not economy-dependent.

The Inter-Mountain reports the centerpiece of West Virginia’s American 250 celebration is the America250 Wheel, the worlds tallest portable Ferris Wheel.

KJZZ reports After 14 years, Canadian consulate office reopens in Arizona. I am taking this as a hopeful sign.

Good news! This morning on a voice vote, the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved that H.R. 9250, legislation to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). The Committee approved a substitute bill, which means the text of the bill was changed to the same text as the Senate compromise bill. The new text is pasted below. Note that discussions between the House and Senate sponsors continue and there may be additional small changes made to the final bill.

In a show of bipartisan support for the bill, 12 cosponsors were added yesterday bringing the total number of cosponsors to 133.

What happens next? The Senate sponsors are working to get the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547, on the calendar for a vote by the full Senate. It is being held up by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who chairs the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee and has placed a hold on the bill. The Senate sponsors are talking with Lee and efforts are underway to have Utah tourism and parks frontline leaders weigh in with him.

Support for the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547 continues to grow in the Senate. Last week, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) became the 66th Senator to cosponsor. Kudos to Team West Virginia for their terrific outreach.

What can frontline tourism leaders do to support to help one this legislation over the finish line?

In the House, encourage your congressional representatives to cosponsor the bill, if they have not already done so.

In the Senate, sign your organization onto the coalition letter to all Senators urging support for the America the Beautiful Act. You can sign on through this Google doc: https://forms.gle/GRdAgpRDwzCPzu5aA

Or by letting me know.

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Great piece from the New York Times on how World Cup visitors are getting out of the stadium, off the tour buses, and hitting the road to discover true American culture. Apparently, Bass Pro Shops, Buc-ee’s, Chipotle, and national parks are all big draws for World Cups international visitors.

America250 Commission announced today that it is expanding its America’s Block Party initiative to seven host cities. After their strong World Cup showing, Boston and Philadelphia have been added to the party roster. If there is one thing those cities have demonstrated through World Cup, they know how to throw a party. More details are in the America250 press release.

Today, North Carolina unveiled an innovative way to celebrate North Carolina’s rich history and America’s 250th birthday. The North Carolina History Explorer, an interactive heritage tourism kiosk, made its debut at the I-77 South Carolina Welcome Center. Identical kiosks will be installed at every welcome center across the state over the next few weeks, allowing both visitors and natives to learn about the Tar Heel State’s revolutionary history. The kiosk was developed by the American Battlefield Trust in partnership with Interactive Knowledge of Charlotte, N.C., the North Carolina Department of Commerce and America 250 NC, a program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Detailed information on the kiosk initiative can be found in the American Battlefield Trust press release.

*Photo credit: Ribbon Cutting for the first North Carolina History Explorer at the I-77 South Welcome Center. Pictured (left to right): Wally Wazan (NC Dept. of Commerce), Luke McKnight (American Battlefield Trust), Eric Veal (Interactive Knowledge), Dan Brosz (America 250 NC), Bob Heussner (American Battlefield Trust), and Louie Comer (NC Welcome Center Manager). Photo by American Battlefield Trust.

On Wednesday, Jun 24, the House Natural Resources Committee will mark up the Great American Outdoors Act 250, H.R. 9250. The bill would extend and reform the Legacy Restoration Fund for national parks, national forests, and other public lands.

If your Representative is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, please call them and ask them to vote to support the Great American Outdoors Act 250 and the negotiated compromise bill, the America the Beautiful Act. A few key points to make:

• These bills, will extend critical public land maintenance funding five years and provide an additional $1.9 billion annually to address parks, forests and other public lands crumbling roads, decaying buildings, outdated water systems and many more critical repair needs.

• To date, the Legacy Restoration Fund has successfully addressed billions of dollars in high priority deferred maintenance and repair needs in our public lands in every state throughout the country. These projects include campground restoration at Yosemite and Zion National Parks, cemetery rehabilitation at Petersburg National Battlefield, retrofit of the 30 year old BLM managed National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, roof restoration at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, toilet replacement at the Echo Amphitheater at Carson National Forest, water delivery system rehabilitation at Camas National Wildlife Refuge, and parkway repair at Colonial National Historical Park. Or you can personalize this point with the projects from your state with these state fact sheets.

• The successes of the Legacy Restoration Fund are far-reaching, stretching from Acadia to Glacier Bay, and covering a wide range of projects from crumbling roads and trails to aging campgrounds and visitor centers. And it’s clear that local communities across the c ountry have and will continue to see the benefits of investing in the maintenance of our public lands.

• Across all federal land management agencies, Legacy Restoration Fund projects support an estimated 20,000 jobs annually and are contributing more than $10 billion to the economy over five years. These economic benefits are on top of the robust economic benefits from visitor tourism. In 2024 there were nearly 223 million visits to national parks, a record-breaking number. National parks generate over $55 billion to the national economy and support 415,000 jobs in gateway communities.

• Despite the progress the Legacy Restoration Fund has enabled, the challenge persists, and the backlog of repair needs continues to grow. We applaud our bipartisan champions for reintroducing the extension bills and encourage you to support the final bill.

The Senate is working to schedule a vote by the full Senate on the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547, this week. The sign on letter is still open and there is time to add your organization to the letter. You can do that with this Google doc or by letting me know. I am attaching below the letter with the list of organizations that have signed as of 9 am today.

Atb Sign On Letter

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The strategy going forward is that the House Natural Resources Committee leadership, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) are negotiating with the Senate on a few tweaks to the America the Beautiful Act in hopes that once the Senate passes the measure, the House Natural Resources Committee can move that bill forward. Congressional champions are still working toward a July 1 deadline to send the final bill to the President. Attached below is an E&E Daily article with background on the bills and the push forward.

E&e Daily

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Good Reads

Visit Scotland decided to give Boston a small taste of Scotland while the national team played in the city. They wrapped 11 cabs with the tartan worn by the Scottish soccer team and printed on the doors, “Next stop Scotland? Search Visit Scotland.” And the cabs can accessorized with free Scottish snacks. Boston has been a great example of how with creativity and flexibility local tourism offices are jumping to the opportunities to promote travel to their community. 7 News Boston has details on the campaign and photos of the cabs.

Today’s New York Times has an article on The Dispute Over Events for America’s 250th Birthday, Explained. I sent an article on this on Friday, but this article includes information on what the states are doing, which makes this a worthwhile read.

In a unique celebration of America’s 250th, Arkansas is hosting its inaugural Arkansas Folklife Festival to “weave together culture, community and connection across the Natural State” June 26-28 in North Little Rock. Headliners include Lucinda Williams and Bobby Rush. More details are available here.

Great story in today’s New York Times on how one woman in Presque Isle, Maine organized a year of events to celebrate America 250 in The Small City Taking A Maximalist Approach to America’s 250th.

6 News is reporting that Pigeon Forge to honor ‘military hometown heroes’ with banners for America 250. With the grant from the Tennessee America 250 Commission, Pigeon Forge has launched the “Hometown Hero Patriot Banner Program” that will place approximately 42 street banners, each measuring 30” x 60”, that feature hometown heroes. The banners are designed to include a photo of a veteran or service member, along with their name and military service branch. The banners will be displayed July 1 through Veterans Day.

In an effort to make tourism spending easier to track and defend, Axios NW Arkansas reports, Experience Fayetteville opens its tourism playbook. Note that the strategies of Little Rock, Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale are also mentioned.

Things are moving fast on the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547. The Senate may take up the amended bill as early as next week. This bill is a compromise between the House, Senate, and Administration, which eases its pathway to approval. The NPS Second Century Action Coalition is circulating a sign on letter to every Senator encouraging them to support the amended bill. This is an organizational letter, you will be signing on for your organization. Here’s the text of the draft letter:

Atb Sign On Letter

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The Senate champions want to be able to show strong community support for this bill so signatures from tourism offices are important. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) will be using this letter with any waffling Senators. As the Senate has not yet scheduled floor action, there is no deadline for signing but I ask that you do so as soon as possible. You can sign on using this Google form.

Or by letting me know.

For those of you that want to dig a little deeper into this legislation I am attaching below the set of the amended bill as well a comparison chart between the two bills.

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Atb Comparison To Atb Ans

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Last week, the American Battlefield Trust released a report on the economic impact of battlefield tourism, Battlefields Mean Business. The report leveraged cell phone tracking and National Park Service visitor data to thoroughly assess the economic power of preserved battlefield parks and historic sites. According to the study, historic battlefields across the United States support more than 15,000 jobs and $1.5 billion in visitor spending each year.

The report documents the popularity of America’s hallowed battlegrounds and their economic benefits for surrounding communities: 20.3 million annual visits to national battlefield sites spanning conflicts and stretching across 31 states and two territories amounted to $1.5 billion in direct spending and $2.2 billion in total economic output.

More details are found in the American Battlefield Trust’s press release.

The executive summary of the report is posted below.

Battlefields Mean Business Executive Summary (6 2026)

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In addition the American Battlefield Trust is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, June 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET for those who manage, support, and promote historic sites and communities are invited to register for our June 24 webinar with report authors. The webinar is an opportunity to dig a little deeper into the report’s findings and to discuss practical applications. Reserve a spot at the webinar here.

WCPO 9 reports Newport, Kentucky is exploring new tourism tax options to fund its expanding tourism infrastructure and promotional needs.

I know I said I wanted the July 4 celebration to be more than events in iconic sites such as Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, but a star-studded concert in Los Angels isn’t what I had in mind. The America250 Commission has announced that it has organized an America’s Block Party at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 4, 2026, hosted by Queen Latifah and featuring artists Chris Stapleton and The Smashing Pumpkins. Tickets are $17.76. More details are available in the America250 press release.

For those trying to figure out the difference between America250 and Freedom 250, NBC News offers a good primer with One birthday, two party planners: Freedom 250 vs. America250, explained.

Big news! This morning, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources unanimously approved the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547, which would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund for 5 years and invest $6.65 billion to tackle critical repairs, from deteriorating roads and buildings to aging water infrastructure in national parks, forests, national wildlife refuges and other public lands.

This was not a simple mark up of the bill. Sponsors of the Senate and House bills have been meeting since the House bill, the Great American Outdoors Act 250, was introduced last week to work out differences between the two measures. Today’s action amended the Senate bill to incorporate key provisions of the House bill. The approved test is pasted below.

Congress is moving quickly on this critical legislation. The House Natural Resources Committee could mark up S. 1547 as early as next Wednesday, June 24. Congress is driving to get this bill over the finish line and on the President’s desk by July 1.

I will have more details as Congress schedules votes. For now, this is a good time to study up on the impact of the Legacy Restoration Fund on your state by reviewing the Department of the Interior’s state fact sheets.

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Extending the Legacy Restoration Fund is a top priority for tourism, and it is exciting to see progress being made at a time when Congress is deeply divided and gridlocked.

In a big win for the protection of America’s military history, the House of Representatives passed the American Battlefields Protection Program Amendments Act, H.R. 7618, in a strongly bipartisan vote of 404-13. H.R. 7618, reauthorizes the nation’s most important historic battlefield preservation grant program in time for America’s semiquincentennial and the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War.

The bill reauthorizes three American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) grant programs through 2036, designating $20 million annually to battlefield preservation efforts, including historic property acquisition, landscape restoration and site interpretation. Additionally, the legislation directs the National Park Service (NPS) and the Department of the Interior to prepare more detailed strategic studies of sites related to the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War, a major step toward expanding program eligibility.

HR 7618 was introduced in February by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), co-chairs of the Congressional Battlefields Caucus. The Senate companion bill, S.3524, was introduced in December 2025 by Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).

Action now moves to the Senate, where its bill has 5 cosponsors.

The tourism advocacy network has long supported strengthening and funding for the American Battlefield Protection Program. In 2019, we partnered with the American Battlefield Trust and the National Parks Conservation Association to enact the Preserving America’s Battlefields Act, which increased the authorization of the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program to $20 million a year. The annual funding boost included a provision that up to $2 million of the annual funded was dedicated for the restoration and interpretation of high-priority battlefield sites, which would help to transform these battlegrounds into compelling historic tourism destinations and help local communities to leverage their cultural and heritage tourism assets to better tell their stories and drive tourism around America’s 250^th birthday.

Detailed information on the legislation is available in the press release by Rep. Kiggans announcing that the House has approved H.R. 7618.

Good Reads

New York Times: Trump’s FEMA Nominee Calls Staff Cuts a ‘Challenge’ for Disaster Agency

POLITICO: How a fired FEMA leader got a second chance from Trump

New York Times: Literary Travel Is Having a Moment.

This past weekend was a great time for tourism and sports.

On Friday, June 12, Shannon Brannon, Sales & Tourism Manager for the City of Daphne, Alabama was staffing the Discover Daphne tent at the 2D Baseball World Series at the Daphne Sports Complex. Discover Daphne put together bags for all the players with promotional coupons for local restaurants/shops/attractions. They also had a table set up on site to provide recommendations and coupons to participants throughout the tournament. Football great A.J. McCarron was in town for the tournament because his son was playing and being a football fan and Alabama alum, Shannon had hoped to get some promotion photos with him but missed her opportunity. On Friday afternoon, she got word that McCarron would be stopping by to take a few photos. As you can see from the photo above football and tourism make a great team!

There has been a lot of news coverage around whether or not the FIFA World Cup would live up to its potential economic impact. FIFA has projected a $30.5 billion contribution to the U.S. economy. Over the weekend, there were some great stories on how communities were welcoming soccer teams and fans, giving them a true taste of American hospitality and delivering a terrific appeal to visit the USA.

Lawrence, Kansas, home of the University of Kansas (KU), has embraced the Algerian soccer team, which is making the college town their home base for World Cup. Bars and restaurants are showing ads in English, French, and Arabic. The KU marching band learned the Algerian national anthem so they could play at the first practice session which was held to a full stadium of 2,000 people, many of whom had learned the words to the Algerian anthem so they could serenade the team. In response the Algerian team is wearing KU t-shirts and holding soccer camps for local kids. The welcome from Lawrence has been so enthusiastic that Algerian television has been broadcasting interviews with local citizens. The Kansas City Star provides more details and videos in How a love affair between Algeria and Lawrence became the story of ‘26 World Cup.

Just outside of DC, the Croatian soccer is using Alexandria, Virginia as their home base. Axios trumpeted that Alexandria soon to be overrun with Croatian soccer hunks, which certainly caught the attention of residents of the national capital region. POLITICO reports that Croatia is using the 2026 World Cup to invite the world to come visit. The Croatian National Tourist Board hosted a glitzy reception for its country’s soccer team drawing a mix of athletes, business leaders, diplomats and Croatian-American community members to the rooftop of the AKA Hotel. According to POLITICO, “For Croatia, which reached the final in 2018 and semifinals in 2022, the tournament is about more than soccer. It is one of the country’s most effective soft power tools, a chance for a nation of fewer than four million people to project its brand to a global audience and translate sporting success into tourism, investment and cultural influence.”

Boston has not only welcomed Scottish soccer fans with open arms and Irish pubs but they leveraged the high prices of World Cup tickets to encourage soccer fans to attend Red Socks games. After winning their opening game on Saturday, 5,000 Scottish soccer fans marched to Fenway Park on Sunday in an event featuring men in kilts and bagpipes. NBC 10 Boston has more details and great interviews in this video segment.

Our good friends to the North, Toronto, Canada, which is hosting six World Cup games from June 12 to July 2, has launched a scavenger hunt for World Cup visitors to find 51 beaver statues and learn more about the city. The beaver is Canada’s national animal and 48 of the statues represent each of the World Cup competitors. Associated Press has a video on the initiative and providing soccer fans with a whimsical experience.

On a policy note, the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee is holding a business meeting to approve S. 1547, the America the Beautiful Act, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund on Wednesday, June 17 at 9:30 a.m. While the bill has strong bipartisan support — more than 60 cosponsors — Committee Chairman Mike Lee (R-UT) opposes the bill and has recommended taking funding from the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), so it is important that the bill be approved without harmful amendments. The Legacy Restoration Fund and permanent full funding for the LWCF at $900 million annually was achieved under the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, which the tourism advocacy network worked hard for. We do not want to see either fund diminished. If you have a Senator on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee now is a good time to weigh in with them on the importance of this bill and funding the LWCF.

Listing of Senators sitting on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee is

Listing of cosponsors to the America the Beautiful Act is here.

Department of the Interior’s state facts on the impact of the Legacy Restoration Fund can be found here.

The press release announcing the $461 million in LWCF grants for parks and outdoor recreation for FY26, including a breakdown by state can be found here.

According to the sponsors, ahead of our nation’s 250th birthday, the Great American Outdoors Act 250 (GAOA 250) reauthorizes and reforms the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to ensure that “America’s Best Idea”—our national parks and public lands—are modernized and maintained for generations to come, without using taxpayer funding. GAOA 250 enhances public access, improves infrastructure, and creates new outdoor recreation opportunities, while making significant reforms that prioritize mission-critical deferred maintenance, streamline project delivery, and generate new revenue while keeping parks affordable for American families.

The text of GAOA 250 can be accessed here.

A one-pager on the bill is available here.

A section-by-section review of the bill is available here.

The press release announcing GAOA 250’s introduction can be read here.

A push to secure additional cosponsors will be gearing up shortly.

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a field hearing in Hot Springs, Arkansas on GAOA 250 and hear testimony in support of the legislation from actor and director Kevin Costner, Department of the Interior officials and local Arkansas officials.

The hearing memo, which provides background on the legislation and has some great data on the economic impact of public lands on local communities, can be read here.

TVH11 covered the actor’s appearance at the hearing.

FEMA was busy this week. WJHL reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that $2.8 million in grants has been awarded to Southwest Virginia communities for recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The grants will support repairment projects for local roads, road armoring, base, surfaces, culverts, road embankments, gabion stone, rip rap, shoulders and asphalt.

WLOS reports that Western North Carolina counties still recovering from Helene will have more than $63.2 million in recovery grants. The grants are focused on rebuilding infrastructure and debris removal.

The Virginia and North Carolina grants are snapshots of a larger announcement from FEMA on the approval of more than $1.1 billion in post-disaster funding for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects across the nation. Detailed information on the grants awarded is available in the FEMA press release.

For those who want to dig deep on disaster recovery and resilience policy, earlier this week, the Center for American Progress released a report, How Trump’s Cuts to FEMA and NWS Are Leaving Communities Defenseless Against Extreme Weather Disasters.

Good Reads

Forbes: Is Canada’s Travel Boycott Of The U.S. Over?

I thought the idea of a Great American State Fair was awesome, but it looks like there just wasn’t enough time and resources to organize it properly. NOTUS is reporting At Least Six States Have RSVP’d ‘No’ to Trump’s State Fair.

Specifically, the bill take a voluntary program within the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Urban Bird Treaty Program, expands and authorizes it. Under H.R. 3276, a competitive grant program administered in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Foundation would provide targeted grants for local projects. The grants program would be authorized at $1 million in funding annually.

Birdwatching has become an important segment within tourism. Several state tourism offices have run birdwatching campaigns. According to research by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service birdwatching is enjoyed by over 96 million Americans and creates a total economic output of $279 billion annually and supports approximately 1.4 million jobs nationwide.

More information one H.R. 3276 is available in the press release announcing its introduction. The bill’s text is posted below.

The bill is endorsed by the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the American Bird Conservancy, and Ducks Unlimited.

I would like feedback on this legislation. If this is something the network wants to make a priority, I will add it to the summer talking points.

Hr 3276

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Also, on June 10, the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee is holding a business meeting to mark up an extensive list of pending legislation — 32 bills — including the America the Beautiful Act, S. 1547, which now has 64 co-sponsors, including Sen. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL). Kudos to Team Alabama. Unfortunately, with such a long list of bills to consider, S. 1547 is not expected to be approved at this hearing, however, the long list of bipartisan cosponsors is a good sign that this legislation will move soon.

On Friday, June 12, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a field hearing on the draft legislation The Great American Outdoors Act 250 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Highlights of the draft bill, include:

• Extends funding for 5 more years;

• Expands projects by including some cyclical maintenance and modernization;

• Caps contingency funds and administration, planning and compliance expenses to ensure most of the money is spent on projects, not overhead;

• Takes into account geographic distribution, large and small areas, and lands that haven’t yet received funding for project selection;

• Provides up to 15% of funding specifically on recreation and sportsmen projects;

• Encourages more partnerships through cooperative agreements;

• Encourages asset disposal when a facility or feature is no longer serving the public; and

• Requires a more robust online dashboard to show continuous progress and funding for each project.

• Codifies and expands the non-resident pass and increases the America the Beautiful pass by $20.

Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Ranking Members Jared Huffman (D-CA) are continuing to discuss the details of the legislation and expect that the bill that will be introduced will be slightly different from what is discussed at the hearing. I will share the final text and the bill number as soon as it is introduced. We can start rounding up co-sponsors.

The House Appropriations Committee approved the Interior Environment FY27 Appropriations Bill last week. The Senate is expected to act in the coming weeks. Attached is the sign on letter that encouraged a clean bill and funding to support a strong NPS workforce. Thank you to all who signed. It is important for appropriators to see that these decisions impact local communities.

Fy27 Doi House Appropriations Parks Coalition Letter Final

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Good Reads

Travel + Leisure: Colorado Just Unveiled a New Stargazing Trail Connecting 21 Dark Sky Destinations

Travel Weekly reports that Juneteenth celebrations have evolved from local commemorations of history to “destination-defining culinary events showcasing the rich history, social practices and modern innovations of cuisine” Juneteenth food festivals to be held across America provides a terrific overview of how communities are sharing their culture and culinary traditions.

America250 Press Release: A Star is Born: America250 Introduces “George the Star,” Official Mascot of America’s 250th Anniversary

USFS Press Release: Forest Service debuts new recreation mobile app

Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the launch of the Great American Expedition, a nationwide initiative to bring Interior officials to some of the nation’s most iconic national parks, wildlife refuges, public lands, and national monuments throughout 2026 to connect Americans to our national story. At each stop, participants will display an expedition flag and highlight the people, places, and stories that define America’s public lands heritage.

DOI has developed a website, The Great American Expedition, to document this journey and provide information on how gateway communities can host an expedition event. Tourism bureaus, national heritage areas, and Friends groups are uniquely positioned to highlight their community’s unique natural, historic, and cultural assets and create compelling events for this initiative.

In announcing the Great American Expedition, the DOI noted, “During America’s first 250 years, expeditions helped make the nation knowable. They transformed movement into discovery by mapping, measuring, naming, and documenting the continent. These efforts produced enduring national records, including maps, journals, surveys, specimens, and data. Over time, this growing body of knowledge turned vast regions from rumor and blank space into navigable geography. That tradition eventually evolved into something uniquely American: a system of public stewardship that is professional, science-based, and built to endure. The Great American Expedition continues that tradition by celebrating the places, people, and institutions that help preserve our nation’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Expeditions have long been a part of Interior’s mission, and this initiative reflects that enduring commitment to exploration, stewardship, and public service.”

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced the Save America’s Treasures grant program is now accepting applications. The grant program was established in 1998 to celebrate America's premier cultural resources in the new millennium. After more than 20 years, this grant program has awarded more than 1,300 grants totaling more than $300 million to projects across the United States. Funded projects, selected from 4,000-plus applications requesting $1.5 billion, represent nationally significant historic properties and collections that convey our nation's rich heritage to future generations. The program is administered by the NPS in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The application deadline is June 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. More information on the grants and links to the applications is available here.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced its Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) program is accepting applications. GAP grants enable Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life.

Application deadline is July 9, 2026. Detailed information on GAP grants and a link to the application is available here.

Good Reads

Inside Climate News: A Georgia Wildlife Haven Forged by Fire and Peat Nears UNESCO Recognition

10 News: Proposed federal budget cuts raise concerns for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Food and Drink Life: The American Road Trip is Back — And It’s All About The Food.

Travel Pulse: Collette Seeing Increased Demand for U.S. Tours. I am including this article because I love this quote: “Domestic travel isn’t just a fallback—it’s where we’re seeing real momentum,” said Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, President and CEO of Collette. “Travelers are actively looking to explore their own backyard in a deeper, more meaningful way, and advisors are in a powerful position to guide them toward those experiences.”