The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) wrote a letter to Congress imploring members not to adjourn for the holidays without helping small businesses still struggling with the pandemic.
In the letter, ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby wrote: "More than 160,000 Americans work in the travel agency sector, which given our members' focus on international travel remains uniquely exposed to this global crisis. Each new coronavirus variant brings with it new recovery-crushing travel restrictions and on behalf of ASTA, I urge you to use any appropriate year-end legislative vehicle restore the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) for at least the 4th quarter of 2021. Simply put, without the ERTC or equivalent relief, many travel agencies across the county may not survive the latest setbacks."
ASTA noted that recovery from the pandemic has been painfully slow for travel advisors. Kerby pointed out that travel agencies are still suffering and need more help.
"Without additional federal relief, our industry faces the prospect of continued agency closures and consolidation, mass layoffs and termination of independent contractor relationships," wrote Kerby in the letter. "The ERTC provided a refundable tax credit equal to up to $7,000 per employee per quarter in 2021 and with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds decimated, travel agencies were counting on ERTC support as they make rehiring decisions and otherwise made plans for maintaining their businesses through the fourth quarter."
Kerby outlined what ASTA hopes the government can do.
"On behalf of the small business owners we represent and the employees who rely on them for their livelihoods, we urge you to restore the ERTC at least through the end of the year, as laid out in the recently introduced Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act (H.R. 6161)," said Kerby. "We further encourage you to ensure that your constituents in the travel agency sector are eligible for any new or expanded relief programs created by legislation reportedly under development by the House and Senate Small Business Committees."
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