USTOA Goes to Washington to Advocate for Cuba Travel

The U.S. Tour Operators Association descended on Washington this week to make its case to legislators about issues important to tour operators and to the travel industry at large.

Active members who are tour operators and associate members, which are supplier partners in the industry, joined together to make their voices heard in Washington.

The association scheduled its annual Congressional Caucus June 17-18 at the Washington Court Hotel. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a Democrat of New York, opened the first session.

After Rice’s opening remarks she turned over the floor to Republican Senator John Boozman of Arizona, who spoke in favor of the opening of travel rights to Cuba.

Cuba is one of the association’s top legislative priorities, according to Terry Dale, USTOA’s president and CEO.

“USTOA is a longtime avid supporter of an Open Borders policy and Cuba is one of the top priorities for our meetings with members of Congress,” said Dale. “With the recent vote in the House that would reverse the loosening of travel restrictions to Cuba, our visit to Capitol Hill couldn’t be timelier. USTOA fully supports both the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act (H.R. 664), as well as the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act (S. 491).”

Source: Travel Pulse