The $2.0 trillion travel industry represents
America's No.1 services export, and has added
jobs at a rate three times faster than the
United States economy as a whole since 2010,
growth that is jeopardized by the government
shutdown.
Even though essential travel functions like
customs processing, Transportation Security
Administration inspections and air traffic
control are still functioning, the travel
community is hurt by the mere perception that
travel to and within the U.S. is uncertain. Dow
says that risks destroying several years of
gains in economic output and improvements in
travel facilitation by the federal government.
"Already you have countries like Germany telling
their citizens to beware of problems and delays
when traveling to the U.S.," Dow said. "With so
much positive progress in place, our country
doesn't need to take steps back in pursuit of
welcoming millions of new international
travelers. We urge leaders in Congress to
realize that the longer this goes on, the worse
the long-term implications will be for major
portions of our economy."
“Our guide and outfitter business has been doing
nothing but finding ways to re-route tours and
cancelling reservations all day because of the
government shutdown. We are the oldest
continuous concessionaire in these Parks and
have been exploring these lands and bringing
foreign and domestic visitors here since before
the national parks were here. I cannot honor the
contracts I entered with my guests because the
government has now rendered them null and void."
A tour company operator in Moab, Utah
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