Dow said the association was encouraged by the administration’s commitment to focusing on providing additional, direct relief to businesses in the industries hardest-hit by the pandemic, such as travel and tourism.
Additionally, Dow highlighted both president Biden and vice-president Harris’s historic and personal links to the sector, and reiterated the association stood ready to work with the White House and Congress to rebuild the US travel industry.
“President Biden is acutely aware of the economic pain the pandemic has inflicted on our industry and its workforce, and we are encouraged by the administration’s focus on providing additional, direct relief to businesses in the hardest-hit industries," said Dow.
“Travel supported one in ten jobs prior to the pandemic, powering the economy and providing jobs in urban and rural communities alike.
"It is well within reach to return America to the record growth the travel industry experienced prior to the pandemic through national strategies that will revive the American economy, shorten the recovery, and help unite a divided nation as travel is uniquely equipped to do."
Dow said Biden’s "well-known affinity" for Amtrak meant the association and administration shared a "common priority" to improve national, inter-city and regional connectivity across all modes of transport "to facilitate greater travel and tourism".
Of vice-president Harris, Dow said her experience representing one of the country’s largest state tourism economies had given her first-hand experience of travel’s positive impact on local communities.
"[The association] again congratulates president Biden and vice-president Harris and stands ready to work with the new administration and the Congress to rebuild the US travel industry, restore millions of travel-related jobs in the years ahead, and to safely bring people across the country and around the world together once again," Dow added.
