Skift Take
All eyes will be on U.S. Travel’s next leader to fill Roger Dow’s huge shoes and implement these lofty goals.
Lebawit Lily Girma
Declaring that the worst of the pandemic lags the U.S. travel market and that this is now the year of healing, the U.S. Travel Association’s 2022 State of the Travel Industry address on Wednesday was focused on a reimagined, more sustainable and varied industry, even as its 17-year CEO, Roger Dow, prepares to retire from his post in July.
“We have a robust policy agenda and a clear technique to revive America’s travel market, however Congress and the Biden administration need to continue to work carefully with the travel sector to help the industry get better rapidly,” stated Dow.
That policy program, which U.S. Travel set out as “setting the phase for the future of travel,” revolves around these five essential concerns:
- Strengthening the workforce and restoring jobs
- Facilitating seamless and safe travel
- Structure the future of travel mobility
- Sustainability and growing the industry responsibly
- Variety, equity and inclusion
U.S. Travel CEO Roger Dow at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Wednesday.
Dow noted that the association was continuing its advocacy for extra tourism marketing financing in the Restore Brand U.S.A. Act, which Dow stated was critical to rebuild America’s worldwide tourism market share, however that travel leaders must also take a look at the genuine value of organization travel and the importance of resuming in person conferences.
Eventually, sustainability took spotlight in this yearly update. Executive vice president of public affairs and policy Tori Emerson Barnes highlighted the partnerships, efforts and laws the association helped develop over the past year that will bear fruit, which U.S. Travel will now press even more for the benefit of the industry.
At the Department of Transport a brand-new tourist officer was designated, and U.S. Travel can now deal with that officer to advance policies connected to the future of U.S mobility along with the Travel and Tourist Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. That would consist of, Barnes mentioned, a focus on deployment and growth of electrical vehicle facilities thanks to the $7.5 billion allocation in the new facilities law, ensuring the government moves quicker on sustainable aviation fuels, and making sure innovation services for national forests.
A diversity push likewise lies ahead, according to Barnes, because of the new collaboration formed at the end of 2021 in between U.S. Travel and Tourist Variety Matters.
“This move will reinforce the association’s focus and support of the industry on concerns connected to diversity, equity and inclusion and offer members greater access to Tourism Diversity Matters’ expertise,” stated Barnes, adding that this is especially important when it concerns restoring the labor force, consisting of in leadership positions.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Corporation and national chair of U.S. Travel, mentioned Dow’s contributions for 17 years to support travel and tourist in the U.S., ranging from leadership on Brand name U.S.A.’s advancement to the starting of the Meetings Mean Business Union.
“I really didn’t anticipate this to be my going away party,” stated Dow, while including that he looks forward to inviting the next leader of U.S. Travel, before repeating that his focus would remain on the association’s crucial operate in the six months delegated his period.
In a subsequent press call, Dow told Skift that the search committee for U.S. Travel’s next CEO met Tuesday to choose a search company. “We’re enthusiastic that we’ll have that person designated towards late May, early June,” stated Dow. “My commitment to U.S. Travel is to stay in this function through completion of July. If need be, if I need to do it longer, that’s fine.