18 Mar Travel Tech Renews Call to Drop Travel Restrictions for International Travelers
United States Risks Falling Behind as U.K. and Other Nations Lift Restrictions
Following the announcement that the U.K. is lifting all travel restrictions related to COVID-19, the Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the voice of the travel technology industry, renewed its call for the United States government to do the same.
In a statement earlier this week, renewing its call for the United States government to eliminate the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated travelers, Steve Shur the CEO of Travel Tech said, “With the pandemic rapidly evolving to an endemic, Travel Tech’s members who maintain the transparent and competitive marketplace for travel, urge the US Government to act on behalf of travel consumers globally, who desperately want to travel again. With COVID-19 dangers mostly behind us, the US can’t afford to wait any longer.”
While many countries are lifting COVID-related travel restrictions, the U.K. government called today’s announcement a “…landmark moment for passengers and the travel and aviation sector….”
In a recent op-ed published in newspapers nationwide, Shur wrote, “…While the timeline for returning to pre-COVID life in the United States is unknown in the near term, there are many other nations successfully easing restrictions, including entry requirements, as borders (and economies) reopen. The United States needs to catch up or risk getting left behind…”
We applaud the U.K. decision but remain alarmed that the United States is standing alone in delaying any adjustment to travel restriction policies for vaccinated travelers, Shur said. Restrictions including pre-departure testing for vaccinated travelers to visit or return to the U.S. are no longer necessary.”
“The science and data support lifting restrictions,” Shur continued. Otherwise, the United States keeps massive impediments to economic recovery in place. It’s time for the U.S. government to follow the data and the science, ease travel restrictions, and put America back on the path to economic recovery by fostering and supporting international travel – follow the example from the U.K. without delay!”
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About Travel Tech
The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the voice of the travel technology industry, advocating for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace to encourage innovation and preserve consumer choice. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including global distribution systems, online travel agencies and metasearch companies, travel management companies, and short-term rental platforms.
To schedule an interview with Steve Shur of Travel Tech, contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com.
