Lawson said Florida competes against states such as California, which has $120 million for marketing.

Puerto Rico has set Dec. 20 as its “official” reopening date to tourists following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The Commerce Department last week confirmed what tour operators and destination marketers already knew: Inbound travel to the United States is continuing to fall, in some cases precipitously.

The campaign is a multi-pronged program aimed at raising practical awareness of the industry and the role citizens can play in developing and sustaining the sector.

It’s not an easy balance to strike for a travel agent. A loyal client questions whether they should keep their reservation for a vacation to an island they heard was devastated by a hurricane.

Reports from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office and U.S. Department of Commerce show that Americans are traveling more as they save on grocery and holiday meal expenses. So which places are attracting American tourists?