by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:45 PM ET, Tue February 10, 2026
Two U.S. Senators have introduced a new bill, called the USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act, to ensure greater cooperation between Canada and Mexico in support of the travel and tourism industry.
After a year when the industry within the United States struggled—especially Las Vegas—with declines in international visitation, including 26 percent less visitation in Canadian visitors, the bill would require the U.S. Trade Representative to create a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group as part of the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced the bill in the Senate on February 5.
“Travel and tourism are vital not only to Nevada’s economy, but to the economy of the United States as a whole,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “As we’ve seen over the past year, tariffs, trade, and international cooperation play a large role in either promoting or deterring international travel. As partners in this historic trade agreement, it’s critical that we do what we can to invite Canada and Mexico to support the American travel industry.”
The USMCA began in 2020 as joint working groups for international cooperation and trade across several different industries, but travel and tourism was not one of them—a big gap in the system of cooperation between the three North American countries.
The U.S. Travel Association has put its support behind the bipartisan initiative, with Erik Hansen, Senior Vice President and Head of Government Relations saying in part: “As the United States faces a decline in international visitation, this bipartisan legislation would ensure travel and tourism are prioritized in the upcoming USMCA joint review. Creating a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group will deepen cooperation with Canada and Mexico, strengthen North America’s competitiveness, expand travel exports, and support the millions of American workers and businesses that rely on travel.”
Today, February 10, the bill was introduced into the House of Representatives by Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and a senior member of the Trade Subcommittee, to introduce the bill there.
“For districts like ours that welcome millions of visitors each year, tourism isn’t just an industry, it’s a driver of jobs and economic growth,” said Buchanan. “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, ensuring seamless, efficient travel between the United States, Canada and Mexico is essential to keeping our tourism industry strong. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act to ensure travel and tourism are fully represented during the upcoming USMCA joint review and to keep our economy open for business.”
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