Travel Industry Welcomes Government's Plan To Reopen US To Vaccinated Travelers

The U.S. government announced that it plans to lift travel restrictions for entry into the United States starting in November. Foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. will be required to have an approved COVID-19 vaccine and will not have to quarantine when they arrive.

The travel industry welcomed the new rules, which will go into effect in November, prior to the holiday travel season.

"The U.S. Travel Association applauds the Biden administration’s announcement of a roadmap to reopen air travel to vaccinated individuals from around the world, which will help revive the American economy and protect public health," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "This is a major turning point in the management of the virus and will accelerate the recovery of the millions of travel-related jobs that have been lost due to international travel restrictions."

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Dow praised the administration for its hard work.

"The U.S. Travel Association expresses its deep appreciation to the President and his advisors – in particular Commerce Secretary Raimondo, who has been a tireless advocate – for working with the industry to develop a plan to restart international travel and safely reconnect America with the world," he said.

The World Travel and Tourism Council also welcomed the news.

“The U.S. lifting travel restrictions to restore transatlantic travel between the EU and the U.K. is welcome news – not only for hard-pressed airlines, but for the wider Travel & Tourism sector, which has been decimated by COVID-19," said Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO in a statement. "It will finally enable families to reunite, business travellers to resume face-to-face meetings and events, and for Travel & Tourism to return, providing a major boost to these economies."

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) also praised the move.

“We welcome the Biden Administration’s announcement of long overdue changes to the myriad inbound travel restrictions that have been in place since early 2020," said Zane Kerby, ASTA president and CEO. "We view this as a key milestone toward restarting the international travel system on which so many of our members depend. Based on news reports, the plan incorporates several of the common-sense measures we called for along with our travel industry colleagues recently, including expeditiously developing clear vaccination and testing standards, loosening entry restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers and aligning standards with the governments of our main outbound markets, including Canada, the EU, and the U.K."

Kerby also noted that ASTA is ready and willing to work with the administration on any challenges encountered upon implementation.

New York City's tourism arm, NYC & Company president and CEO Fred Dixon also released a statement in support of the move.

"Opening international travel is critical to New York City's continued tourism recovery. While international travel comprises 20 percent of visitor volume in a typical year, it generates 50 percent of tourism spending and 50 percent of hotel room nights," said Dixon's statement. "International visitors stay longer and spend more. As the number one port of entry for the US and the city with the highest share of overseas travel, the decision to open international borders safely is the news we have been waiting for and the shot in the arm for our industry. We look forward to the administration's plan and seeing it take full effect this Fall."

Cruise Lines International Association also released a statement about the news.

"Cruise Lines International Association joins our peers across the travel and tourism sector to express our appreciation to the Biden Administration for recognizing the importance of international travel to the U.S. economy and for establishing a path for international visitors to travel to the United States responsibly," the association said in a statement.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce shared in the travel industry's praise for the reopening plans.

“The U.S. Chamber is pleased that the Biden Administration plans to lift the current COVID-related international travel restrictions in November," read a statement from executive vice president and head of international affairs Myron Brilliant. "Allowing vaccinated foreign nationals to travel freely to the United States will help foster a robust and durable recovery for the American economy.”