By the end of December, 50% of all travel-supported jobs will be lost—an additional loss of 948,000 jobs and a total loss of 4.5 million direct travel jobs. Congress can help #SaveTravel, bring back jobs and rebuild our economy by prioritizing relief for the travel industry.
TAKE ACTION TODAY
Join us in demanding Congress pass, at the very minimum, legislation that provides immediate support for small travel businesses ASAP. It’s imperative that any relief includes the following measures:
- Enhance and extend the Paycheck Protection Program through the end of 2021, expand eligibility to include 501(c)(6) and quasi-governmental DMOs and allow for a second draw loan for the hardest hit industries.
- Enhance and extend the Coronavirus Relief Fund through at least the end of 2021.
- Provide additional emergency assistance to U.S. airports.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE ACTIVATION BLITZ
All Week! Action Alert
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Use our Action Alert to send an email to your members of Congress urging them to find a solution immediately that provides relief to travel businesses and workers.
Tuesday, December 1: Twitter Tuesday
- Use our Social Media Guide to urge your members of Congress on Twitter to come together and find a solution immediately to #SaveTravel.
Wednesday, December 2: Media Spotlight
- Share a media hit or news story detailing the local impacts of COVID-19 on the industry in your community on Twitter and Facebook, tagging the handles of your members of Congress and congressional leadership.
Thursday, December 3: Calls to Congress
- Coming soon!
Friday, December 4: Facebook Friday
- Utilize the sample graphics and copy in our Social Media Guide to create an urgent #SaveTravel Facebook post tagging your members of Congress.
MEDIA RESOURCES
- MEDIA BLITZ OVERVIEW (including talking points and sample pitches for news and radio outlets)
- Download sample op-ed
- Download sample letter to the editor
We must ACT NOW in order to secure our industry relief. Contact your members of Congress TODAY.
Encourage your members of Congress to include the travel industry's priorities for relief, protection and stimulus in the next legislative package using Power of Travel Coalition’s Action Alert to send an email or tag them in a tweet.
Use the materials below to reach your members of Congress and help the travel industry speak with a united voice on social media.
- Advocacy Social Guide for November 2020
- Find the Twitter handles for the members of Congress in your state via Tweet Congress
Do you work for a destination marketing organization (DMO), convention and visitors bureau (CVB) or chamber of commerce? Submit an op-ed to your local newspaper, encouraging your senators to include relief for DMOs in any legislative package.
Recent op-eds:
- ALASKA
- Anchorage Daily News Alaska leaders’ help is needed to save Alaska tourism (August 7)
- CALIFORNIA
- Santa Monica Daily Press The Importance of Saving Travel (August 11)
- FLORIDA
- St. Augustine Record How Congress can revive Florida’s travel and tourism industry (July 11)
- GEORGIA
- The Augusta Chronicle Get economy rolling again through travel, tourism (August 8)
- IOWA
- Des Moines Register Future of Greater Des Moines tourism industry left out of recovery efforts (August 11)
- KENTUCKY
- Lexington Herald Leader Targeted aid to tourism will help restart local and state economies in Kentucky (May 29)
- NEW YORK
- The Buffalo News Tourism bureaus need to be included in stimulus bill (August 3)
- The Hill Nonprofits need relief to help the economic recovery, too (June 2)
- PENNSYLVANIA
- Centre County Gazette Leaders: Paycheck Protection relief for DMOs necessary (July 9)
- PUERTO RICO
- The Hill Nonprofits need relief to help the economic recovery, too (June 2)
- TEXAS
- San Antonio Record San Antonio’s travel industry needs a lifeline (August 9)
- WASHINGTON, D.C.
- The Hill A key 'STEP' to bring back the travel industry (August 10)
- WISCONSIN
- Cap Times Wisconsin tourism needs your help (August 9)
LETTERS SENT TO CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Travel has been in close contact with the White House, leaders in Congress, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Treasury, and the Small Business Administration. Recent letters and outreach can be found in the list below:
- COVID RELIEF NOW Coalition Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership (December 1)
- Industry Letter in Support of Visit America Act (November 20)
- Coalition for Safe Alternatives to Quarantines Letter to HHS, DOT and DHS (October 22)
- Travel Industry CEO Joint Statement (October 1)
- COVID RELIEF NOW Coalition Letter to Congressional Leadership (September 30)
- Kentucky Travel Business Leaders Sign On Letter (August 14)
- California Travel Business Leaders Sign On Letter (August 14)
- New York Travel Business Leaders Sign On Letter (August 14)
- House Dear Colleague Letter on Support for Travel and Tourism (August 7)
- Letter from New York Business Leaders to Senator Schumer (July 31)
- Senate Letter to GSA on Per Diem Rates (July 31)
- Corporate CEO Letter Encouraging Federal Role in COVID-19 Testing to the President and Congressional Leadership (July 27)
- Letter from Florida and Maryland Businesses to Senators Rubio and Cardin on PPP Modifications (July 17)
- U.S. Travel Letter to Secretary Mnuchin and Congressional Leadership on the Industry's Priorities for Phase 4 Relief Legislation (July 17)
- DMO Sign On Letter to Administration and Congressional Leadership (July 17)
- Senate Letter to Congressional Leadership Requesting Additional EDA Grants for Tourism (June 29)
- U.S. Travel Letter to Secretary Mnuchin and the Federal Reserve on the Main Street Lending Program (June 22)
- DMO Sign On Letter on PPP Modifications to Congressional Leadership and Secretary Mnuchin (May 28)
- U.S. Travel letter to Congressional Leadership and Secretary Mnuchin on PPP Modifications (May 28)
- Letter from Bipartisan New York Delegation to Congressional Leadership in Support of Travel and Tourism (May 20)
- Joint Association Letter to Congressional Leadership on Liability (May 11)
- Letter to President Trump Sharing Travel Industry Health and Safety Guidance (May 4)
- Travel Industry Health and Safety Guidance Letter to All Governors (May 4)
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Relief Letter to Small Business Association (April 29)
- Updated DMO Sign On Letter to Congressional Leadership and Secretary Mnuchin (April 28)
- House Dear Colleague Letter in Support of DMOs (April 16)
- DMO Sign On Letter to Congressional Leadership (April 8)
- Association Questions for Small Business Administration and the Department of Treasury (April 2)
- Association Letter to the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve (March 31)
JOIN THE COALITION
Who we are: All travel employees, from hotel and rental car employees to theme park and cruise line workers, destination marketers, tour operators, small business owners, meeting planners and restaurant staff make up the Power of Travel Coalition, no registration is necessary. CLICK HERE if you would like to be added to receive Power of Travel Coalition Action Alerts.
