WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators voted Wednesday to charge international travelers a $10 fee to help pay for a new non-profit corporation to promote tourism in the United States.

The legislation, which passed 79-19, was backed by the travel industry. Lawmakers said many international governments aggressively help tourism in their countries by subsidizing promotional programs, but the United States leaves that work to the private sector and to state and local governments.

Much of the money for the promotional efforts will come from fees paid by the travel industry. The rest would come from the $10 fee on international visitors.

The United States began requiring people who do not need visas to enter the country to register online at least 72 hours before travel and renew their registration every two years. If the new proposal should become law, it would require people to pay the $10 fee when they register.

The European Union has said that some U.S. travelers to Europe could face retaliatory fees if the bill should pass. A similar bill has been proposed in the House of Representatives but has not been voted on. It would have to be passed and the two bills joined into a single piece of legislation to be signed into law.