Travel CEO’s want federal action on Covid testing to help travel industry

Eric L Martin | Chubby Diaries

On Monday, the U.S. Travel Association sent a letter asking the federal government for help and support in opening up travel in the United States by broadening the availability of efficient, effective, 24-to-48-hour COVID-19 testing.

The letter sent on Monday was directed at President Donald Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Leader Chuck Schumer and Leader Mitch McConnell. The 13 Travel CEO’s advised that the efforts to help the American economy would be to help restart the $2.6 trillion American travel industry.

The letter advised the urgency and swift consideration in passing the Test Act.

“The travel industry has aggressively gathered data on the coronavirus outbreak and its fallout in order to inform our exhaustive deliberations on best health practices, trends and attitudes among travel consumers, and the proper timing of a safe reopening of the American travel economy,” read the letter reads.

Testing enables reopening. Testing enables rehiring. Testing enables recovery,” the letter concludes. “The millions of jobs lost to this pandemic across all segments of the travel spectrum can only return if demand for our products and services rebounds. That demand from travelers is inextricably linked to the confidence that rapid and abundant testing will create.”

Signatories to the letter include David Kong of BWH Hotel Group; Pat Pacious of Choice Hotels International, Inc.; Chrissy Taylor of Enterprise Holdings, Inc.; Chris Nassetta of Hilton; Jim Risoleo of Host Hotels & Resorts; Mark Hoplamazian of Hyatt Hotels Corporation; George Markantonis of Las Vegas Sands Corporation; Elie Maalouf of InterContinental Hotels Group; Jonathan Tisch of Loews Hotels & Co; Arne Sorenson of Marriott International; Sean Menke of Sabre Corporation; Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association; and Geoff Ballotti of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Eric L. Martin Chubby Diaries Travel Analyst. He writes on the latest Travel News and much more.