USTOA Urges Both Presidential Candidates to Support Tourism

The U.S. Tour Operators Association is urging the presidential candidates to address the importance of tourism and its impact on the U.S. economy in their platforms. Since 2000, the decline in travel has cost the American economy $140 billion, and more than 230,000 jobs lost, said USTOA Chairman Charlie Ball in a letter to each of the candidates.

Underscoring the importance of tourism, Ball pointed out that, as the third-largest industry in the U.S., tourism represents $740 billion in expenditures within the U.S., contributing significantly to tax revenue. Ball said the current airline crisis must be addressed.

In its letter, USTOA addressed a number of crucial issues impeding the tourism industry. For one, airline stability and the current airline crisis requires immediate attention and leadership to regain the confidence of the traveling public, said Bob Whitley, USTOA president.

“The current environment of fluid pricing for everything from baggage fees to seat selection and fuel surcharges is a source of constant frustration to travelers and tour operators alike. While we certainly understand the sanctity of an airline’s right to price their product, we believe that a consistent, predictable and administrable means of handling these changes would be a significant step forward for all concerned.”

Stating that America benefits from more visitors, the USTOA letter offers a number of areas and concrete steps to stimulate travel to the U.S., calling upon the candidates to: 1) Support the Travel Promotion Act, which seeks to encourage inbound programs and foreign travel as a means to stimulate the economy and add to the employment base.

As tourism leaders and advocates on behalf of more than 11 million annual customers, USTOA, in its letter, has offered the candidates counsel and input to help stimulate tourism, promote employment and revitalize the economy.