�Our National Park System is the envy of the world,� Norton said. �These breathtaking sites pay tribute to America�s past and the principles upon which our great nation was founded. This unique partnership with the travel industry will help bring about additional opportunities to educate and inform the public about the many magnificent opportunities America�s national parks and special places have to offer our visitors.�

Secretary Norton noted that President Bush has visited more of our national parks than any previous president. Also, the president�s commitment to protecting and preserving America�s national parks is demonstrated in the administration�s proposed 2005 budget, which calls for investing more than $1 billion in maintenance, rehabilitation and road repair to keep our parks in top shape.

Major components of the campaign include a See America�s National Parks microsite at www.SeeAmerica.org, a national sweepstakes, branded travel packages, a nationally distributed promotional poster, a video e-mail provided by the Travel Channel, and domestic and international co-op advertising inserts.

�This new partnership is yet another example of how the public sector and private industry can work together to leverage our resources and to use the See America brand to promote the entire USA. Further, we know that both domestic and international travelers have a high interest in our national parks,� remarked William S. Norman.

Visitors to the non-profit www.SeeAmerica.org web site will find information on each of the 388 National Parks by clicking on the See America�s National Parks icon. Travelers will be able to search by park name, activity, state, or even zip code to find their ideal match as well as find maps, suggested travel itineraries, packages and special deals. Links to relevant sites, including www.nps.gov and www.npf.org, will make it easy for travelers to truly learn and appreciate the depth and diversity of the National Parks system.

Most importantly, the site will make it easy for travelers to visit parks throughout the nation and to buy a park pass. Funds from the sale of park passes are used to improve park facilities and enrich the visitor experience.

Travel Industry Association of America
TIA (www.tia.org) is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $529 billion travel industry. TIA�s mission is to represent the whole of the U.S. travel industry to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States.
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Contact:
Cathy Keefe (Manager, Media Relations)
202-408-2183
ckeefe@tia.org / www.tia.org