WASHINGTON, D.C.—Leaders from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Airlines for America (A4A), U.S. Travel Association, and the National Restaurant Association urged the U.S. House of Representatives to immediately vote on the Senate-passed agreement to end the government shutdown.
Since October 1, there has been almost $6 billion lost in travel spending due to the shutdown, according to U.S. Travel. For the traveling public, Airlines for America highlighted that more than 5.2 million passengers have been impacted by delays and cancellations from the onset of the shutdown through this past weekend. For the hotel industry alone, each day of the government shutdown costs the economy $31 million in activity that would have otherwise been generated by hotel stays, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. To date, an estimated $1.2 billion in economic activity generated by hotels has been lost.
“This unprecedented government shutdown has upended the lives of many Americans and severely impacted the travel and hospitality industry as we enter the busy holiday season,” said Rosanna Maietta, president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “The economic uncertainty associated with the shutdown coupled by the reality of travel disruptions has rattled consumer confidence, leading to trip cancellations and decreased future bookings. Americans deserve a working government. We urge Congress to end this shutdown immediately and to prevent this from happening in the future. The hotel industry and the traveling public cannot afford it.”
“We strongly urge members of the House of Representatives to vote to reopen the government today. Airlines have temporarily reduced their schedules to comply with the FAA’s mandate and to prioritize safety,” said Christopher T. Sununu, president and chief executive officer, Airlines for America. “More than 5 million passengers and countless cargo shipments have been impacted by delays and cancelations related to the shutdown. We are preparing for record Thanksgiving travel, with some 31 million passengers expected, and the busy shipping season is coming up. However, airlines cannot flip a switch and resume normal operations immediately after a vote—there will be residual effects for days. It is past time to end the shutdown!”
“When travel slows down, America slows down,” said Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive officer, U.S. Travel Association. “Because of the government shutdown, millions of travelers have been impacted. Billions of dollars have been lost. We are urging Congress to put a quick end to the shutdown, accelerate improvements to air travel, and take steps to ensure this never happens again.”
“Fewer travelers and cautious spending have left restaurants facing real challenges during the shutdown,” said Michelle Korsmo, president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association. “A stable, fully functioning government is essential to economic growth and the confidence businesses need to thrive. We urge Congress to reopen the government quickly so that restaurants can operate with confidence.”
