At President Clinton’s invitation, an Ames businessman will attend the first-ever White House Conference on Travel and Tourism from today and Tuesday in Washington.

Rich Harter, executive director of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, and over 1,700 delegates from the travel and tourism industry will meet and discuss the future of the industry.

The White House Conference will provide an opportunity for the industry to develop national tourism strategy to help ensure its growth.

“I am pleased to represent central Iowa and all of the tourism destinations that it includes,” Harter said. “I will work with the other delegates to the White House conference to devise strategies for our nation and our local businesses to attract more tourists. Either directly or indirectly, everyone in our region benefits from an increase in the local travel and tourism market.”

According to the Ames Conventions and Visitors Bureau, the travel and tourism industry is America’s second largest employer, employing 13 million people. It also contributes $417 billion to the nation’s economy.

“The industry as a whole has not been given its due,” Harter said. “There are too many components that have left the industry fragmented. The industry is poised to grow extensively in the next couple of years. There is an increase in leisure time and a huge baby-boomer population who will have time to travel.”