What: U.S. Travel and Others Say It’s Time to End U.S. Travel Restrictions
Following the recently revised COVID-19 guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (which included a significant loosening of mask-wearing recommendations for about 70% of the country’s population), the U.S. Travel Association, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Airlines for America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have issued a letter to Jeffrey Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, urging the Biden administration to lift pandemic-era travel restrictions.
With declining hospitalization rates, increased immunity, widely available vaccines and cutting-edge treatments on the horizon, America is reaching an inflection point where endemic-focused policies can replace pandemic-driven restrictions.
The letter’s recommendations include removing the pre-departure testing requirement for fully vaccinated inbound international arrivals; repealing the federal mask mandate for public transportation; ending “Avoid Travel” advisories; working with other countries to normalize travel conditions and entry requirements; and more.
Why It Matters: Normalizing Travel Will Help the Struggling Industry Rebound
While many sectors saw a significant economic recovery in 2021, the travel industry remains depressed by the pandemic, with business travel spending still 50% below 2019 levels and international travel spending down 78% compared to 2019. According to U.S. Travel, taking steps to normalize travel conditions is key to accelerating the industry’s recovery.
As the public learns to live with the virus for the foreseeable future, the travel industry will also have to adopt endemic-focused policies based on current risk levels, which can be adjusted based on new variants, transmission rates and other factors.
What They’re Saying: Endemic-Focused Policies Are the Way Forward
According to the letter:
“With declining hospitalization rates, increased immunity, widely available vaccines and cutting-edge treatments on the horizon, America is reaching an inflection point where endemic-focused policies can replace pandemic-driven restrictions … Given travel’s slow economic recovery, and in light of the improved public health metrics in the U.S. and medical advancements to prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19, we encourage the administration to immediately remove travel requirements that no longer fit with the current environment and to set clear timelines and metrics for when others will be lifted.”
