Modest increases in leisure, business and inbound international travel will enable the U.S. travel industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs next year, according to projections released yesterday by the U.S. Travel Association, which expects leisure travel to rise 2 percent, business travel 2.5 percent and international inbound travel 3 percent.
"The travel industry shares President Obama's goal of putting Americans back to work," USTA President and CEO Roger Dow said in a statement. "Our industry is uniquely capable of adapting to economic upswings and quickly adding tens of thousands of jobs. What we announce today is based upon modest increases in travel. Given its immense potential, we call on the Administration and members of Congress to build a plan for economic recovery that drives significant increases in travel."
A federal economic recovery plan that increases travel, Dow said, would include:
• Passage of the Travel Promotion Act to stimulate inbound international travel
• Improvements in the visa and entry processes for international travelers
• Funding for a "NextGen" air traffic control system that limits flights delays and cancellations
• Encouragement of meetings, events and incentive travel programs through tax deductions and other mechanisms
Meetings already are driving travel industry growth, according to USTA Senior Vice President of Research Dr. Suzanne Cook. "Following a difficult 2009, businesses have a heightened focus on the value and bottom-line benefits of travel," she said. "We expect to see a slight increase in business travel next year based in part on pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings that drive growth and productivity."
This year and last, the travel industry collectively lost 400,000 jobs as a result of the economic downturn, according to USTA. Even so, it said, it still employs 7.7 million Americans, supporting one out of every eight non-farm jobs in the United States.
To view USTA's complete 2010 travel forecast, visit
www.ustravel.org.