National Restaurant Association Board Member Stresses Synergy Between Restaurants and Tourism at Advisory Board Meeting 9/8/2003
From: Katharine Kim, 202-331-5939, or Tom Foulkes, 202-331-5902, e-mail: media@dineout.org both of the National Restaurant Association WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- Underscoring the essential role of restaurants as a cornerstone of the travel-and-tourism industry, National Restaurant Association Board member William L. Hyde, president and CEO of Ruth's Chris Steak House, Metairie, La., today joined U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans and 14 other captains of the hospitality industry in the first meeting of the newly formed U.S. Travel and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board in New York, NY, on Ellis Island. Hyde shared with the Secretary and members of the Advisory Board how restaurants share a symbiotic relationship with the travel-and-tourism industry. "The nation's 870,000 restaurants are a vital component of the travel-and-tourism industry, as restaurateurs depend heavily on tourism business," said Hyde. "There is a true synergy between our industries, as evidenced by the fact that spending by travelers and visitors accounts for a significant percentage of revenues, particularly at tableservice restaurants like mine." According to National Restaurant Association research, more than two-thirds of tableservice restaurants reported that tourists account for 40 percent of revenues at tableservice restaurants with check sizes of $25 or more and roughly 15 to 30 percent of revenues at establishments with average check sizes of less than $25. "I am honored to represent the restaurant industry today at this meeting -- a major and unprecedented first step toward raising the awareness of the importance of the travel-and-tourism industry and ensuring that travel and tourism receives a more sustained and vigorous policy focus at the federal level," said Hyde, who also serves as chairman of the Government Affairs & Public Policy committee of the National Restaurant Association. "The travel-and-tourism industry has certainly faced a wave of challenges over the last couple of years, but I am inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of Secretary Evans and my peers on the Advisory Board. And, I look forward to seeing the continued resiliency of the restaurant industry and its positive economic growth, and the recovery and rebuilding of consumer confidence in travel domestically and internationally," he added. The Travel and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board -- a bipartisan cross-section of the travel-and-tourism industry -- is comprised of 15 senior U.S. travel and tourism industry executives. The creation of the board was called for in language, advocated by the National Restaurant Association, accompanying a fiscal year 2003 omnibus appropriations bill signed by President Bush, giving the Department of Commerce $50 million for an international destination marketing campaign. The board will make recommendations on advertising and marketing programs that would encourage international visitors to travel to the United States. The campaign will also include a matching grants program to support regional promotion efforts. For more information on the National Restaurant Association's commitment to the travel-and-tourism industry, please visit http://www.restaurant.org/tourism. ------ The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 870,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 11.7 million employees -- making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web site at http://www.restaurant.org. |