|
Broad Restrictions
Canceling Flights Due To Iceland Volcano
Have Cost U.S.
Economy $650 Million, Spending That Supports 6,000 Jobs
Impact Illustrates Need
for Measured Response Based on Facts from
Policymakers During
Crises
WASHINGTON,
DC -- Broad
restrictions canceling flights to the U.S. in the past five days due to the
erupting volcano in Iceland has cost the U.S. economy $650 million,
according to the U.S. Travel Association. This spending supports 6,000 U.S.
jobs.
The loss to the economy-averaging $130 million per day-vividly illustrates
how the world has come to depend on travel for tourism and business of all
kinds, and demonstrates the importance of policymakers acting on facts and
retaining a measured response to crises, said Roger Dow, president and CEO
of the U.S. Travel Association.
"Given the results of test flights in recent days, European leaders
have appropriately questioned the process that led to broad restrictions on
air travel before clear evidence was available to indicate they were
necessary," Dow said. "While safety must always be the primary
consideration, economies, particularly those recovering from recession,
cannot afford an overreaction that stifles travel completely."
Dow highlighted the following information provided by U.S. Travel
economists:
- In the past five days, carriers
between Europe and the U.S. have seen about 78 percent of their
flights cancelled;
- The impact of these flight
cancellations between Europe and the U.S. have cost the U.S. economy
$650 million in direct travel spending and $90 million in tax
receipts;
- Every U.S.-bound flight accounts for
an average $450,000 in direct spending by international travelers to
the economy, spending that supports five jobs per flight.
Dow said
U.S. Travel is in contact with policymakers in Washington to affirm
travel's role in the U.S. economy and quality of life.
"Our
goal is to ensure appropriate responses are made by government leaders as
this situation continues to evolve, and as other crises affecting travel
present themselves in the future," Dow said. "We are also working
with them to assure emergency plans are in place to minimize the impact on
travelers if a similar crisis occurs in the United States."
###
The U.S. Travel Association is the
national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $704
billion travel industry. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and
within the United States. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.
Follow us on Twitter @ustravelpr.
|
