Brand USA CEO Optimistic About International Travel’s Recovery — For Now
Skift Take
Travel and tourism in the U.S. is breathing a huge sigh of relief today as vaccinated international travelers start their return. But as we've learned from Covid, the outcome will intertwined with an ongoing pandemic and persistent vaccine inequity.
After a record 20 months of banning entry to travelers from 33 countries, including from the European Union, the UK, India, China, and South Africa, the United States reopening its borders to fully vaccinated visitors marks a momentous day for the U.S. travel industry.
It's also hopefully a symbolic turned corner for tourism on the worst of the Covid pandemic.
Restrictions lifting on the U.S. land border with Mexico and Canada will also have a significant impact on economic recovery for U.S. cities and destinations — travelers from these two destinations by air and land made up half the visitor volume to the U.S. in 2019 or just over 40 million, with Mexico travelers ranking third as the highest spending visitors to America.
Uncertainties remain, of course, even as progress in international travel and family travel is sure to benefit the travel industry going into the holidays and 2022. That comes despite ongoing Covid infections around the world,
