International Travel Reopening in the United States Senate Hearing

  1. The newly formed U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion, led by Chairwoman Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ranking Member Rick Scott (R-FL), held its first-ever hearing today, entitled “The State of Travel and Tourism During COVID.”
  2. U.S. Travel Association’s Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy, joined three other expert witnesses representing the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts International and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in sharing testimony relating to the impact of the global pandemic on the travel economy.
  3. Specific policies should be implemented to improve the industry’s long-term competitiveness and ensure we come back stronger and better than ever

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chair of the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion, today convene a hearing titled, “The State of Travel and Tourism During COVID,”

This hearing examined the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel and tourism industry, with a particular focus on the hotels, conventions, and the broader hospitality industry.

The overall message was to reopen borders and the international travel and tourism industry in the United States. Economic concerns clearly overshadowed health challenges, when the UK was categorized as a safe country and the meeting industry was pushing for conventions to relaunch.