Related statistics for 2010, available from the U.S. Department of Commerce, and its Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, website, (see related chapter in book), shows that International travel is the single largest services export from our country and accounts for 25 percent of the total services exported. It states that the United States ranks second overall as an international destination. Who do you think ranks first? The answer is in the book. It is interesting to learn that tourism ranks ahead of agricultural goods and motor vehicles in terms of overall exports. Furthermore, the total money spent by travelers to the United States was $134 BILLION DOLLARS, which included $31 billion dollars spent for tickets to fly and crusie to our country on U.S. Carriers. Read the A.N.T.S. book to find out how many jobs the internationl traveler directly supported in the USA.
I believe this American National Transportation System (ANTS) project will spur both domestic and international tourism by providing another travel channel that tourists in America do not currently have; High Speed Ground Transportation (HST) whether it be high speed rail or MAGLEV service. The various packages that could be created by professional travel and booking agencies and individuals, would only be limited by their imaginations! Other countries and continents already have these HST services. Why not the U.S.A.? Think about it?
A.N.T.S. would be an important piece of and a spark to expanding the United States Tourism industry! It would provide travelers with the capability to tour most of America via all avenues of modern transportation; air service, rail, automotive, driving or riding, visiting and staying wherever they want; all packaged and the cost known up front for the most part. Of course professional services, or tourism agencies would create vacation packages with the various carriers; airlines, high speed ground transports, trains, car, motorcyle, and bicycle rentals and lodgers to facilitate a smooth trip. Or the enterprising folks could create their own excursion.
Similar types of packages and trips are already done in other countries and continents and to some extent in the United States. But we are missing an important link in this transportation chain. Think about it.
Tourism is an example of an industry that would directly benefit from the American National Transportation System. It will create more opportunity for the traveling consumer and many additional jobs in the industry; travel agencies, cabs, bus and shuttle operators, car rentals, restaurants, lodgers, tour guides and businesses at the cities and towns we would go to shop, and the attractions we would visit.
Build A.N.T.S. and it will be used!
