In a special hearing last week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation heard testimony from travel industry leaders, who discussed strategies for addressing the economic challenges facing America's travel and tourism industries.
The theme of the hearing, which was chaired by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and joined by Ranking Member Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), was "Tourism in Troubled Times." Its purpose was therefore to develop a plan of action for initiating economic recovery in the travel industry, which is the nation's fifth largest industry by employment.
"Essential facts tell the story of the challenges we face," Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the committee, said in his opening remarks. "Millions of American jobs depend on the tourism industry and 90 percent of those jobs are in small-to-medium sized enterprises."
Added Klobuchar, "Families are cutting back on vacations to save money. And businesses are cutting back on meetings and events for their employees and customers. When a family decides to forgo a vacation or a business cancels a meeting, there's a ripple effect across the country. Fewer airline tickets are sold ... fewer cars are rented ... hotels and lodges rent fewer rooms ... tourist attractions have fewer visitors ... These are serious challenges."
Among those who delivered testimony on behalf of the travel and tourism industries were Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.); Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels; Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; and Chad Prosser, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
"An environment has been created in America where legitimate business travel is being questioned and cancelled," Witzel said in his testimony. "This translates into additional loss of jobs, taxes and travel-related revenues for an industry that is already hard-hit from the general economic recession."
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow applauded last week's hearing, which was timed in concert with National Travel and Tourism Week.
"Recently, airlines, hotels, theme parks, destinations and many others in the travel industry have been slammed with a down economy, unnecessary criticism of business meetings and events, and, most recently, the swine flu outbreak," Dow said in a statement. "Given these obstacles, it is more important than ever that the administration, Congress, state and local officials, and the travel industry work together to encourage travel to and within the United States."