by Nick Delgado

Guam - Governor Felix Camacho, along with other island leaders, sent a joint letter urging Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Gary Locke to ensure adequate representation of the U.S. territories of Guam, the CNMI, and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the recently-enacted Travel Promotion Act.

An eleven-member board comprised of individuals representing the States, the federal government and members of the travel industry will govern the Act. The governors are asking that someone with specific knowledge of the travel industry within the territories be appointed as a board member.

According to a news release from Adelup island leaders wrote, "Given that the additional requirement that directors broadly represent various regions of the United States - which as the sponsors of the Act made clear, includes the U.S Territories - and given that the

Territories present unique challenges, and opportunities with respect to tourism, we believe that it is not only appropriate but necessary for at least one of the members of the board to possess expertise and significant experience in Territorial tourism."

The Act calls for promoting the Nation's travel policies travel to the United States, and providing exposure to U.S destinations that do not have adequate resources to promote themselves overseas.