The U.S. Travel Association is celebrating the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent January employment report, pointing out that it underscores the travel industry’s essential role in the domestic economy’s post-pandemic recovery.
According to the report, January saw the overall U.S. economy add as many as 517,000 jobs, including 128,000 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector. That figure was the highest of any sector measured.
“Today’s jobs report—in which 25 percent of all new jobs were added in the leisure and hospitality sector—is further evidence that travel is essential to the U.S. economy. Travel’s success is the nation’s success, and robust travel demand is supercharging our nation’s economic recovery and job growth,” U.S. Travel President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement on Friday.
“The industry currently has nearly 2 million open jobs despite returning to pre-pandemic employment levels. Bringing more temporary workers to the United States—in addition to enacting other priorities to spur travel demand and growth—should be a top priority for the federal government.”
Earlier this week, U.S. Travel launched a new quarterly press conference led by Freeman and incoming U.S. Travel National Chair and Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta outlining policies needed to grow domestic and international travel and boost the economy. “When we talk about the travel industry, we’re really talking about every industry, how travel’s growth and success is integral to practically everything from manufacturing to education and far beyond,” Freeman said.
Policy priorities highlighted include dramatically cutting down on visitor visa wait times, eliminating vaccine requirements for international travelers, improving the current air travel system and leveraging the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act to improve mobility options, among others.
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Source: TravelPulse
