As I am sure most of you are, I am following the news of the U.S. government shutdown very closely. It is shameful that the Republicans and Democrats cannot find compromise in their opposing positions.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, the week-long impasse has already cost America’s travel economy an estimated $1 billion. (U.S. Travel is tracking the ongoing economic fallout through its real time cost ticker, which crossed the $1 billion mark this morning.) That is on top of the billions already expected to be lost this year for other reasons. The World Travel & Tourism Council projects the U.S. will lose an estimated $12.5 billion due to policies, including tariffs and stricter travel rules. Separately, a new $250 visa integrity fee could lead to another $11 billion loss in tourism revenue and 15,000 job losses, reports Forbes. Tariffs alone are significantly impacting the U.S. economy, with one study indicating they have reduced U.S. GDP by 1.0 percent. Where are Canadians traveling this year? Canada.
“This shutdown is doing real, irreversible damage,” said Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Travelers are facing longer TSA lines and flight delays. Airports are reducing flights, and we’ve seen entire control towers go dark. The longer this drags on, the worse the cascade of damage will be—for local communities, for small businesses and for the country. Congress needs to act now and reopen the government.”
“Travel keeps America moving. When travel is delayed and services are disrupted, the ripple effects reach every corner of our country,” added Freeman.
Let’s stop giving travelers here and around the world more reasons to not travel in the United States.
