10 Mar United States Urged to Ease Travel Restrictions That Risk Global Economic Recovery Statement From Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech)
The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the voice of the travel technology industry released a statement today (acknowledging two years since the beginning of significant global lockdowns and travel restrictions). The world’s leading travel technology platforms that facilitate the competitive and transparent marketplace for travel, benefitting global travel consumers, called on the United States government to ease travel restrictions for vaccinated inbound travelers and work with governments across the globe to restore and reinvigorate cross-border travel.
“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,” stated Steve Shur the CEO of Travel Tech. “With COVID-19 dangers mostly behind us, the US can’t afford to wait any longer.”
Statement From Travel Tech
“As the world continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, travel and tourism are playing a critical role in the economic recovery. Cross-border travel is a key, widely acknowledged economic driver for virtually every nation. A return to pre-pandemic travel levels is vital, and the U.S. is a keystone to that recovery.
Recent virus transmission data suggests that the worst of the pandemic may be behind us. This fact, substantiated by the World Health Organization, is illustrated by dozens of other countries easing or eliminating travel restrictions for visitors.
U.S. citizens wanting to travel internationally are less inclined to do so based on the fear of a positive test upon return and having to quarantine. According to the US Travel Association, the effects of the border closure restrictions imposed by the U.S. government resulted in losses of nearly $300 billion in export income and more than one million American jobs from March 2020 to October 2021.
The United States stands alone in delaying any adjustment to travel restriction policies for vaccinated travelers. The 24-hour, pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated travelers to visit or return to the U.S. is no longer necessary, as supported by science and data, and serves as a massive impediment to recovery. 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.”
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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, CEO of Travel Tech, contact Dan Rene of kglobal at 202-329-8357 or daniel.rene@kglobal.com.
