Travel Still Matters, A Lot
With many facing job losses or mortgage troubles, a lot more would rather save up and stay home than to travel.
But the U.S. Travel Association or USTA would like to contest and prove some points:
- Tourism and travel is the nation’s 5th largest industry
- International and local travelers consumed $740 billion last 2007 which means $115 billion worth of tax revenue for our governments funds.
- Travel and tourism also gives work for 7.7 million employees and produces $189 billion worth of salary making it one of the top 10 industries in almost every state.
- Travel is also responsible for one of every 8 jobs in the U.S.
Travel does not only do you good but also supports businesses, feed families and funds the $740 billion economic stimulus.
So, the USTA will be conducting the first U.S. Travel Rally Day on Tuesday, May 12 in 36 cities. It is a gathering of travel industry employees like tour guides and drivers, hotel housekeepers and the likes to show the scope of the industry and its contribution to our economy.
Travel expense has decline by 6.7 percent this year which is equivalent to $52.4 billion.
But good things will eventually come. Oil prices are steadying, airfares tickets are becoming cheaper, and travelers will be traveling again. Here are some signs of travel’s recovery:
- Just this February, Americans have driven 215 billion miles. Though it is still a decrease from last year’s, it is the smallest drop for a while.
- National Parks had 43.1 million visitors just early this year, 4 percent more than last year’s.
- Last April, major airlines claim higher load factors meaning demand and capacity is stabilizing. Traffic is still low but at least it is falling in a slower rate.
It may be slow, but the rallying is steady and progressive.
This may be the “new normal” or something closer to the old normal. We might be coming back to enjoying nearby sceneries and having shorter trips to the bay than those extravagant and overly indulging vacations. Families may be coming back to national parks or visiting relatives.
Travel may again mean the old American road trip. Loading up your car, driving to somewhere you can find a breath of fresh air and just a different view. The new normal may be the old normal.
