Clears Way for Smoother Business Travel to the Fastest Growing Economies in the World
Honolulu, Hawaii (November 12, 2011) – The National Center for APEC and its Board applaud today’s signing of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Act of 2011 by President Obama. The bill was signed at a ceremony on the sidelines of the APEC 2011 CEO Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“For all of the successes that come out of the APEC 2011 year, the APEC Business Travel Card will be one that Americans will be able to hold in their hands. It will let card holders access the fastest growing economies of the world more quickly and easily,” said Monica Whaley, President of the National Center for APEC. “APEC is about facilitating international business in the Asia Pacific. The APEC Business Travel Card will help American business travelers spend less time waiting in lines at the airport, and more time closing deals in the APEC region.”
“As companies from the Asia Pacific gather for the CEO Summit this week, American firms will know that they will soon be on the same footing in terms of travel facilitation with their APEC competitors. This measure, combined with the recent passage of three trade bills, demonstrates that the U.S. is serious about expanding economic opportunities for companies seeking to grow through trade.”
Whaley added, “The National Center thanks Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Representatives Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) for their tireless efforts on this legislation. We would also like to thank the House Committee on Homeland Security and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for their diligent efforts to see this legislation through. The legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support and we are thankful for all who helped ensure its passage.”
This legislation authorizes the issuance of APEC Business Travel Cards to American business leaders, who will benefit from more efficient travel processing. The ABTC card will allow qualified U.S. business travelers to use expedited immigration lanes in participating economies and will help promote cross border trade in goods and services in the future. The following APEC economies currently participate in the Travel Card program: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam. Russia, the U.S. and Canada are transitional members.
About the National Center for APEC
The U.S. National Center for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (NCAPEC) is the only U.S. business association focused exclusively on facilitating American private sector input to the APEC process. The United States is chairing APEC in 2011, and the National Center is coordinating the APEC 2011 USA Host Committee, the private sector host of business activities for the 2011 APEC Meetings. The National Center also functions as a conduit for U.S. businesses into APEC by serving as the Secretariat for the three U.S. executives who are appointed members of the APEC Business Advisory Council. For more information about the National Center for APEC, visit: www.ncapec.org.
Editors Note:
More Information about APEC Business Travel Card here:
http://www.apec.org/~/link.aspx?_id=9E3E68AE3A0D4631B8381E66C4E893CF&_z=z
