The promotional tourism body, launched in 2011, is funded by private donations and fees charged to international visitors who register for visas to enter the US.

According to reports in the US last week, the Trump budget would divert the fees to pay for increased border protection.

A spokesperson for Brand USA called the organisation’s story a “compelling one” that “clearly demonstrates the significant impact the organisation has had on fuelling the nation’s economy”.

“The campaigns and marketing initiatives we have launched over the past four years [and] our many partners have helped welcome 4.3 million incremental visitors to the US and infused the nation’s economy with $29.5 billion in total economic impact and, on average, nearly 51,000 incremental jobs a year,” she said.

According to the most recent study by Oxford Economics, in the past four years Brand USA’s initiatives have returned an average of $27 for each $1 spent on marketing activities to the US economy.

“As a practical matter, it is also important to note that the budget any administration presents is a statement of priorities—not a budget that is presented to Congress to vote on,” said the spokesperson.

“The administration’s proposal serves as a way to outline the priorities of the administration, but it is ultimately up to Congress to formalise and vote on a final budget.”

The plan has been slammed by US Travel Association president Roger Dow, who said the agency generates far more cash than it receives.

USA Today reported that he added: “With all that’s going on in the world, unilaterally disarming the marketing of the US as a travel destination would be to surrender market share at the worst possible time.”