New data released by the U.S. Travel Association shows that at $1.2 trillion, direct spending on travel in the United States in 2022 was on par with pre-pandemic figures.
“Travel rebounded strongly in 2022 thanks to robust demand for domestic leisure travel,” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement. “Now we must focus on fully restoring the international and business travel segments to continue growing this critical driver of the U.S. economy.”
Key points from the association:
- Travel accounted for $1.2 trillion in direct spending in 2022, which produced an economic footprint of $2.6 trillion.
- In 2022, travel supported nearly 15 million American workers—8 million directly employed by the travel industry.
- Travel spending generated nearly $160 billion in total tax revenue, including $84 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2022.
- Travel-generated tax revenue alleviated an average of $1,270 in taxes per U.S. household.
- U.S. Travel economists cautioned, though, that when adjusting for inflation, overall travel spending remained down 14 percent in 2022.
Telling Travel’s Story in Washington
Last Wednesday, nearly 250 travel industry leaders from U.S. Travel member organizations elevated the industry’s essential contributions to federal policymakers during the association’s annual legislative fly-in, called Destination Capitol Hill.
Delegate meetings were scheduled with 230 members of Congress and their offices to discuss how travel drives economic growth and creates jobs within their respective communities, as well as legislative priorities to grow all sectors of the U.S. travel industry.
Top legislative priorities are:
- Fully fund the office of the assistant secretary of commerce for travel and tourism.
- Lower visitor visa wait times.
- Provide H-2B cap relief to address travel workforce shortfalls.
- Advance Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization priorities.
“Travel’s success is the nation’s success—these priorities are not just important to our industry, but to the future of the U.S. economy,” Freeman said.