According to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), the United States government shutdown is costing the U.S. travel economy $152,000,000 per day and as many as 450,000 American workers supported by travel may be affected… and yesterday they told Congress they are [read in a Howard Beale, Network (1976) voice] “mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore!”  Or something like that.

The U.S. Travel Association is a self proclaimed “national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $2.0 trillion in economic output and supports 14.6 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States.”

The LETTER
In an open letter addressed to Congress on Friday (“Dear Leaders Reid and McConnell, Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi“), the USTA released a new analysis that estimates the partial government shutdown costs the U.S. $152 million a day in economic output due to lost travel-related activity, affecting as many as 450,000 American workers directly or indirectly supported by the travel industry.

“The government shutdown is throttling America’s travel sector, which, until now, has been one of the principal drivers of U.S. economic recovery,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow.

The USTA states:

Travel is America’s No.1 services export, and the travel industry has added jobs faster than the rest of the economy since the U.S. economic recovery began in 2010. U.S. Travel estimated that the direct, indirect and induced impact of lost travel-related activity due to the partial government shutdown costs the U.S. $152 million a day in economic output. The combined effects of temporary layoffs, reduced wages and fewer hours worked as a result of the shutdown affects as many as 450,000 U.S. workers who are directly or indirectly supported by America’s travel economy.

The STORIES
Furthermore, USTA has launched a page on its website to publish stories from members and individuals across the States on how the shutdown has been detrimental to their business and community: “Impact from the Shutdown: Tales from the Frontline

The page publishes about a dozen examples, large and small.

The CONFERENCE
Lastly, in other USTA travel news, the USTA announced on Friday that on November 20, 2013, it will hold its first-ever Connecting America Through Travel” (CATT) Conference, a day-long forum in Washington, D.C. for travel and transportation officials to address “infrastructure challenges, opportunities on road, rail and sky.”

  • Attendees will learn about new research examining the links between infrastructure investment and growth in the travel sector; hear from thought leaders on the challenges to maintaining and building efficient, connected transportation systems; and forge new alliances for advocacy efforts in Washington and beyond.
  • Featured speakers include Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe;” the Hon. Edward G. Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania and co-chair of Building America’s Future; Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman of Loews Hotels and chairman emeritus of U.S. Travel; and Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The conference will be emceed by Katty Kay, lead anchor for BBC World News America.
  • View the full schedule and speaker lineup.

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