Travel Accounts for Nine Percent of 2011 Total U.S. Job Gains, Edges Down Slightly in September

October 7, 2011

Washington, DC - David Huether, senior vice president of economics and research at the U.S. Travel Association, provides analysis on today’s Labor Department report on September 2011 employment numbers:

“The economy added just 103,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate held steady at an uncomfortably high 9.1 percent.  With more than 40 percent of the jobs gains due to the return of telecommunications workers back to work following a strike, today’s report shows that the economy ended the third quarter on a sour note.

“After eight consecutive monthly gains, employment in the travel industry fell 10,000 in September to just over 7.5 million.  Still, so far this year the travel industry has added 94,300 jobs and accounts for nine percent of the one million jobs added to-date in 2011.  The fact that employment in the travel industry has expanded at a pace sixty percent faster than the rest of the economy highlights the fact that travel in the U.S., whether by domestic or international persons, has been an important force in 2011 U.S. job creation.

“While one month does not make a trend, the downturn in travel employment is a warning sign that Americans remain anxious about the current state of the economy.  And given the present uncertainties regarding prospects domestically, it is paramount that the U.S. economy tap into healthier overseas markets, particularly in developing economies such as Brazil, India and China, where the U.S. visa system limits the number of visitors who could come to the United States and support American jobs.”

U.S. Travel supports new legislation in the House and Senate that would bring international business and leisure travelers to America and help to create U.S. jobs by reforming our visa system.

Huether is available for additional analysis and comment.

Contact:
Cathy Keefe (202) 408-2183

The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $1.8 trillion in economic output and supports 14.1 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit www.ustravel.org.
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