To quell a drop in travel to the United States since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Senate Commerce Committee has approved a bill that would establish a nonprofit group to promote the United States as a tourist destination, the Associated Press reports.

The new nonprofit organization would be financed by donations from the travel industry and by a $10 user fee charged to travelers from the 27 countries participating in a visa-waiver program with the United States.

Supporters of the bill say it is important because visits to the United States from countries outside of Canada and Mexico are down 17 percent, from a peak of 26 million in 2000 to 21.7 million in 2006, according to Commerce Department figures. In the same period, cross-border travel around the world was up 20 percent.

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