The White House is encouraging Americans to travel on business, according to wire service reports. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama was not discouraging travel when he said last month that businesses receiving federal bailout money should not be taking junkets. “The president believes it’s important to have a strong tourism industry and that it’s important that, as the president said earlier... that we shouldn't retrench,” Gibbs said. “He would encourage people to travel.”

Gibbs comment came after a comment made by Obama last month while promoting his stimulus bill at Indiana town hall meeting. When asked about what banks should be doing with federal bailout money, the president said: “You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer's dime.” Tourism officials said the remark discouraged travel among all companies worried about their image. At least three large banks recently canceled meetings in Las Vegas. Tourism officials estimate cancellations have cost tourism-related businesses about $132 million since October.

Tourism industry advocates, who met with Obama Wednesday, praised the White House statement. “These comments are extremely positive for the one million employees in this industry whose livelihood depends on business meetings and events,” said Geoff Freeman, senior vice president of the U.S. Travel Association. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who once demanded an apology from the president, reportedly said no apology was necessary. “We got the message across that the president was not trying to disparage Las Vegas,” Goodman told the Associated Press.

Reader Comments

It is not necessarily what the President said...it is the words, the way he said it, and the timeing. The major corp. & incentive travel companies heard what they did not want to hear, so went ahead and cancelled trips. As we all know, it is not what we meant to say, it is how the listener interpert our words. Do you remember the saying "Loose lips sink ships?" Aram, CA

Obama is all about "do as I say not as I do." Jeri, CA

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