November 15, 2013
News & Highlights
“Roam” to Improve Youth’s Academic Performance and Future Success
New Travel Effect research has found that youth who engage in educational travel see measurable and lasting benefits, including improved academic performance, increased likelihood of attaining a college degree and higher earning potential in future careers. Importantly, the positive influences of learning-based travel are realized regardless of gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic class. U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow recently promoted the findings during an interview with a FOX affiliate, even encouraging the inclusion of a fourth “R” to the traditional three pillars of learning – reading, writing, arithmetic – and now roaming. The survey proves that travel is impactful and a gateway to future success.
Travel Community Welcomes End of Federal Shutdown
Reopening the federal government will end the estimated loss of $152 million per day in travel-related economic output and provide increased financial security to as many as 450,000 American workers who are supported by travel. Travel is America's No.1 services export, and the travel industry has added jobs at a rate three times faster than the rest of the economy since recovery began in 2010.
U.S. Entry: Gateway to Jobs & Growth
U.S. Travel published a new report “Gateway to Jobs & Growth” that examines the effect the U.S. entry process has on the U.S. economy. In addition to identifying current problems, it contains 20 policy recommendations on how to improve the entry experience for international travelers coming to the U.S. and to better support hard-working officers at CBP who keep our nation secure.
Registration Now Open for Connecting America Through Travel Conference (CATT)
Join leaders in the travel and transportation industries at CATT, November 20 in Washington, D.C., to help shape the discussion on how to revitalize America's travel infrastructure.
The JOLT Act has surpassed 100 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, split almost exactly between the two major political parties.
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Travel exports hit a record monthly high of $15 billion even as the overall trade deficit deteriorated slightly in the latest monthly report.
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Despite the disruptions caused by the government shutdown, travel added 16,000 jobs in October and contributed to more than six percent of October’s total non-farm employment gains.
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U.S. Travel released a new analysis that estimates the government shutdown costs the U.S. $152 million a day in economic output due to lost travel-related activity, affecting as many as 450,000 American workers.
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U.S. Travel released excerpts of stories from America's travel community that provide a frontline picture of the damage already being done to America's travel economy by the federal government shutdown.
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U.S. Travel released a report detailing the severe economic consequences that result from often lengthy wait times experienced by millions of travelers in the CBP entry process, and proposing 20 policy changes to address the problem.
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The travel community applauds this move to dramatically expand the Pre✓™ program, which already has immensely benefitted the traveler experience while bolstering aviation security.
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If current trends continue, Labor Day-like traffic will soon plague U.S. highways on the average day of the week, according to analysis prepared for the U.S. Travel Association.
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Traveling for meetings and conferences is vital to making government more efficient and effective, according to a new study conducted by Rockport Analytics for the U.S. Travel Association.
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November 20, 2013
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Copyright © 2013 by the U.S. Travel Association. All rights reserved.
1100 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20005-3934, 202.408.8422, Fax 202.408.1255
November 15, 2013
Travel creates opportunities and launches careers
Fast Forward
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 1
Contents
Letter from Roger Dow 2
Executive Summary 3
Travel: Driving Career Growth and American Job Creation 4
A Gateway to Opportunity 6
A Path to the American Middle Class 8
The Launching Point for a Rewarding Career 10
The Bottom Line 14
Endnotes 16
Despite the size and positive impact of the U.S. travel industry, the act of traveling has yet to be seen as an
essential part of our lives, businesses and economy. The Travel Effect campaign reverses that thinking and
proves that the travel experience and the travel industry as a whole actually have a measurable and purposeful
impact. The Travel Effect proves through research the economic, societal, business and personal benefits of
travel, demonstrating the real truth behind the “hidden” impacts of travel.
The U.S. Travel Association, the voice for the U.S. travel industry, will support its mission to increase travel to
and within the United States through the Travel Effect campaign and leverage the collective strength of its
industry partners to help grow travel’s voice, advance pro-travel policies and communicate travel’s widespread
impact. Visit www.traveleffect.com.
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel
industry that generates $1.9 trillion in economic output and supports 14.4 million American jobs. U.S. Travel’s
mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit www.ustravel.org.
© 2012 U.S. Travel Association
2 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
We are pleased to share with you this
new report examining the benefits
gained by Americans who have worked
in the travel industry. Earlier this year, we released
Travel Means Jobs, which is a report that details
the broad economic footprint of travel on the U.S.
economy. It explained how the travel industry
supports 14.4 million American workers,1 and
how over the past few years, travel’s job-creating
power has outperformed the rest of the economy.2
Simply put, more travel means more jobs for our
country. Recently, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Bernanke said travel was a “bright spot” in an
otherwise gloomy economy.3 Wall Street analysts
have called our industry an “over-performer”
compared to other industries.4 And President
Obama issued an executive order to “boost
America’s tourism industry so that we can keep
growing our economy and creating more jobs.”5
But even as Washington, D.C. and Wall Street
begin to embrace the fact that the travel industry
can fuel job growth — a question persists:
“Are travel jobs good jobs?”
This seminal report provides the answer:
an unqualified “yes!”
Workers whose first job is in the travel industry
progress further in their careers than individuals
who get their start in other industries. Travel
industry work experience helps Americans earn
higher wages and attain more education. Travel
jobs provide important, transferable skills that are
indispensable to career success. Careers in travel
deliver financial security with the majority of travel
industry workers earning a middle-class income
or higher.
This story is a familiar one for me. I began my
career in the travel industry as a lifeguard at
Marriott’s sixth hotel, learning the travel business
from the bottom up. I spent 34 years at Marriott,
eventually rising to senior vice president of
global and field sales before leaving to lead the
U.S. Travel Association.
I know firsthand how important travel jobs can be,
from the skills they provide to the opportunities
they create and the doors they open. This report
helps tell this story in a new way, relying upon
both data analysis and compelling stories from
travel industry workers.
With this report, it is my hope — and U.S. Travel’s
goal — that we can continue to work with elected
officials to put policies in place to ensure that
travel will continue to create jobs and provide
opportunities for millions of American workers
and their families.
Roger J. Dow
President and CEO
U.S. Travel Association
Letter from Roger Dow
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 3
As travel continues to grow in size and
signifi cance as a U.S. employer, it’s time
to take a closer look at the opportunities
travel jobs off er and the potential benefi ts
of public policies to encourage further
growth in the travel industry.
To provide insight into the benefi ts of
a travel job and the career progression
of workers who started off in the travel
industry, the U.S. Travel Association
analyzed longitudinal data collected by
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Since 1979, BLS has tracked more than
5,000 American workers, interviewing
them every year between 1979 and
1994 and every two years between 1994
and 2010.
For the fi rst time, this report summarizes
BLS labor force data on how travel jobs
benefi t workers and how careers in the
industry progress over time compared to
workers who began in other industries.
Key fi ndings include:
■ Earning Higher Wages: Th e average
maximum salary for employees who
start their career in the travel industry
reaches $81,900 – signifi cantly more
than the other industries.7
■ Promoting Educational
Opportunities: One-third of the
5.6 million Americans who work
part time to support themselves
while they further their education
work in the largest component
of travel industry – leisure
and hospitality.8
■ Building the Middle Class: Th e
travel industry is one of the top 10
largest employers of middle-class
wage earners in the U.S. More than
half of all travel industry employees
(53 percent) earn a middle-class
salary or higher.9
■ Leading to Rewarding Careers:
Employees who work in travel jobs
build valuable skills that can translate
into rewarding careers, both in travel
and other industries. Two out of fi ve
workers who start their careers in the
travel industry go on to earn more
than $100,000 per year.10
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As America’s sixth-largest employer, the travel industry
supports 14.4 million American jobs and directly employs
more than 7.5 million Americans.6 Travel employs individuals
working in transportation, hotels, restaurants, entertainment and
many other sectors. The industry attracts different people for
different reasons. For many young workers, a travel job means a
fi rst foothold on the career ladder. For part-time students, a travel
job means the fl exibility to pursue education and training while
gaining the benefi t of on-the-job experience. For workers at all
stages of life, a travel job provides a path to upward mobility.
Travel Jobs
BY THE NUMBERS
(all data 2011 unless otherwise indicated)
14.4 million:
total number of
American jobs
supported by travel
1 in 8: American
jobs (private sector)
supported by travel
4 million: travel
industry workers
who earn a middleclass
income or
higher — 53% of the
total travel workforce
19%: number of
American workers who
started their careers in
the travel industry
48: number of states
(includes D.C.) where
travel is a top 10
employer (2010)
2 in 5: number of
American workers
whose first job was
in travel and are now
earning more than
$100,000/year
1/3: percentage of
American workers who
started in travel have a
bachelor’s degree
1.8 million:
travel industry
employees who are
working part time
so they can pursue
higher education
Travel jobs provide
millions of Americans
with a gateway to a
promising career and
the opportunity to join
America’s middle class.
4 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
In recent years, the travel industry has quietly emerged as one of
America’s leading drivers of growth and job creation. In 2011, direct
spending by travelers accounted for $813 billion.11 In turn, this
spending directly supported 7.5 million travel jobs or seven percent of
the country’s total private-sector employment.12 Travel now ranks sixth
in total U.S. employment, ahead of major industries such as finance,
construction, real estate and transportation.13
Every dollar spent on travel has a ripple
effect benefiting other sectors of the
economy. Counting the massive indirect
effects of travel spending, the industry
injects $1.9 trillion into the U.S. economy
and supports 14.4 million jobs.14 Travel is a
top 10 employer in 47 states and D.C. and
employs more than 100,000 workers in 25
states.15 And, unlike jobs in other industries,
travel jobs can never be outsourced.
The travel industry also plays a unique
role in helping Americans who have been
disproportionately hurt by the Great
Recession – younger workers and those
without college degrees. At the same time,
as this report documents, travel jobs provide
millions of Americans with a gateway to a
promising career and the opportunity to
join America’s middle class.16
Travel : Driving Career Growt h
and American Job Creation
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 5
After the birth of her fourth child, Erica Qualls re-entered
the workforce by taking the graveyard shift answering the
telephone for $7 per hour at the Santa Clara, California
Marriott. She never realized that this post would be a stepping-stone
to her current position as the general manager of the Atlanta Marriott
Marquis, where she is responsible for running a $100 million-a-year
operation with 1,675 hotel rooms.
Having relied on mentors throughout her career, Erica is passionate
about mentoring associates at Marriott and many other young
women in the Atlanta community. She encourages them to look at
each job as a building block in a successful career. As she has often
said to countless young associates at Marriott: “If you are willing
to grow, there is no other industry that grows people from hourly
associate into management, into senior leadership faster than the
hospitality industry.”
Like most people, Erica’s career has not followed a straight line. After a few months on the
graveyard shift, Erica was promoted to night audit, where she was responsible for running
the books and getting the hotel ready to operate the next day. Since that time, she has had
stints working in the front office, housekeeping, accounting and human resources.
“I was able to get some technical expertise early on as it related to the front office and
finance,” Erica says. “I also went into operations as a housekeeping manager and learned
there how to set strategies centered on leading large teams and developing the skills to
build strong relationships and foster great teamwork. I was getting all these skills, and I was
getting them very quickly.”
Despite the demands of her job, Erica’s position in the travel industry provides the flexibility
she needs to be an active member in her community and to support her family.
Erica Qualls
General Manager, Marriott Marquis Hotel
Atlanta , Georgia
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0
Travel
and Tourism
Financial
Services
Health care Construction Manufacturing Oth er
Industries
Non-Travel/
Tourism
Source: Oxford Economics based on BLS data
Industr y that provided first job
6 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
A Gatewa y to Opportunit y
For millions of Americans, a first job provides critical skills that lead to a
successful and rewarding career. First-time workers learn lessons that
last a lifetime — the importance of professionalism, time management,
customer service, teamwork, the need to set goals and achieve them. For
nearly one in five Americans (19%), that first job began in the travel industry.17
Over the past thirty years, travel has achieved
an impressive record of helping workers attain
their educational goals. Among workers who
began their careers in the travel industry,
one-third earned at least a bachelor’s degree,
compared to just 28 percent in health care,
19 percent in construction, and 18 percent
in manufacturing.18
In addition to giving workers the opportunity
to learn skills on the job, the travel industry also
offers employees the flexibility they need to gain
additional knowledge, skills and training. Of the
5.6 million Americans working part time while
pursuing higher education, nearly one-third,
or 1.8 million workers, choose to work in the
travel industry.19
Travel jobs grant workers the flexibility to
pursue higher education. By doing so, the travel
industry helps our country drive long-term
economic growth. Greater education and skills
are in growing demand in today’s labor market.
American workers are far more likely today to
have a bachelor’s degree than at any point in the
last 40 years – a trend that will surely continue in
the decades to come.20
The record is clear, the travel industry puts
Americans on a path to further their education
and success.
Travel Allows Flexibility for Workers to Attain Higher Education
Percenta ge of Workers with at Least Bachelor’s Degree
33%
35%
28%
19% 18%
29%
26%
Non-Travel/
Tourism
Travel
and Tourism
$80K
$70K
$60K
$50K
$40K
$30K
$20K
$10K
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 7
America’s economy also needs to generate
enough jobs for those who face the most difficult
challenges finding full-time employment –
particularly young adults and workers without
higher education. As of October 2012, these
two groups accounted for 85 percent of the
12.3 million unemployed Americans.21 In many
cases, the travel industry provides these workers
with their best hope for employment.22
■■ Opportunities for Young Adults:
Workers under 25 years old account for
nearly one‑quarter of all travel industry
employees as opposed to just 13 percent
in other sectors of the economy.23
■■ Opportunities for Workers with a High
School Degree or Less: Americans with
no more than a high school education
make up the vast majority of the U.S.
workforce – roughly 70 percent of all
workers.24 Employees with no college
degree who begin their careers in the travel
industry enjoy abundant opportunities to
earn a solid income. On average, they reach
a pay level of $69,500.25
Regardless of educational attainment, data
from BLS reports that people who start
their careers in the travel industry end up
earning more on average than employees
who began their careers in nearly all
other industries – slightly behind only
financial services.
A comprehensive study of BLS data that
tracked more than 5,000 workers over
a 30-year period found that the average
maximum salary for employees who
started in the travel industry rose to
$81,900 – significantly higher than workers
whose first jobs were in manufacturing,
construction and health care.26
A Better Start: Workers Who Begin in Travel
Ultimately Achieve Higher Wages in their Careers
Source: Oxford Economics based on BLS data
Source: Oxford Economics based on BLS data
Travel and Tourism
Manufacturing
Construction
Financial Services
Health Care
Other Industries
Non-Travel/Tourism
Total Sample
Max Average Salary Achieved
Travel Offers Competitive Salaries
Maximum Salary Achieved for Workers
with a High School Degree or Less
$81,900
$75,900
$78,100
$82,100
$74,800
$78,100
$77,600
$78,800
$69,500
$66,100
$40K $60K $80K $100K
Industry that
provided first job
8 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
Rank Industr y
Number of
Workers Earning
Middle-Class
Wages
1 Educational Services 11,455,770
2 Manufacturing 9,894,810
3 Retail Trade* 9,511,474
4 Health Care and
Social Assistance 8,435,140
5 Construction 5,142,040
6 Wholesale Trade 4,883,070
7
Administrative Support,
Waste Management,
Remediation Services*
4,681,202
8 Transportation and
Warehousing* 3,773,045
9 Travel 3,701,227
10 Other Services (except
Public Administration) 3,003,920
11 Professional, Scientific
and Technical Services 2,847,070
12 Finance and Insurance 2,650,520
13 Information 1,742,710
14 Real Estate and Rental
and Leasing* 1,645,123
15 Management of
Companies and Enterprises 862,690
16 Accommodation and
Food Services* 662,404
17 Mining, Quarrying and
Oil and Gas Extraction 555,800
18 Utilities 402,490
19 Arts, Entertainment
and Recreation* 367,132
20 Agriculture, Forestry,
Fishing and Hunting 87,420
*Employment attributed to travel excluded
Source: U.S. Travel Association based on BLS data, 2011
A Pat h to the American Middle Class
A few key data points confirm the
role travel plays in building America’s
middle class:
■■ The travel industry is one of
the top 10 largest employers of
middle-class wage earners in
the U.S. – more than finance
and insurance, real estate and
other industries.28
■■ Half of all travel industry
employees – a total of more
than 3.7 million workers – earn
middle-class wages. That’s more
than double the number in the
information sector.29
■■ In addition to the more than
3.7 million middle-class earners,
the travel industry employs
approximately one-quarter of a
million workers who are making
more than a middle-class wage.
That brings the total number
of people bringing home a
middle-class wage or higher to
four million – 53 percent of all
travel industry employees.30
The bottom line: The travel industry
helps its employees climb the ladder of
opportunity, secure a strong and rising
level of income, and boost their families
into the great American middle-class.
The Travel Industry is a Top 10
Employer of Middle‑Class Workers
For millions of Americans, a career in the travel industry is not just a
first job; it creates a path toward the American Dream of a stable,
prosperous middle-class life for employees and their families.27
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 9
Fresh out of college, Tina Diehl wanted a
career that would grow with her over the
years. She found it in the travel industry.
“I was interested in finding a great company with
the prospects for a long-term payoff,” Tina says,
“…a place that I could make an investment in and
that would make an investment in me.”
Tina accepted an offer from Enterprise, enrolled
in Enterprise’s Management Trainee program and
started to learn the business. Within two years,
she was running her very own branch.
At first, Tina struggled with her new role as a
manager, but Enterprise was there to support
her. “Leadership was something I brought to the
table. But they taught me the technical aspects,”
says Tina. “The first lesson was time management
and how to prioritize. Then, through one‑on‑one
coaching with my supervisor, management
seminars, and internal training, I learned the
business skills I needed to succeed.”
Tina moved up from branch manager to area manager and on to even more
senior positions with the company. Today, Tina is an assistant vice president of
daily rental for Enterprise. She is also the proud mother of three children, all of
whom arrived during her time with Enterprise.
Tina credits her job’s flexibility and compensation for providing her family with
support and financial security. In the travel industry, Tina found not only a fulfilling
career, but also the ability to balance her family and other interests with her work.
“I love my job, but I love my free time, too. At the end of the day, I get to do the
things that matter most to me.”
Tina Diehl
Assistant Vice President of Daily Rental , Enterprise Rent-A-Car Compan y
St. Louis, Missouri
10 FAST FORWARD U. S . T R AVEL ASSOCIATION
THE LAUNCHING POINT
FOR A REWARDING CAREER
Th e data also illustrates that opportunities off ered
by travel-related jobs often served as the launching
point for a rewarding career. Compared to other
industries, workers who started in travel advanced
up the career ladder with far greater success.
■ Two out of fi ve workers who fi rst took a job
in the travel industry are earning more than
$100,000 per year.33
■ Nearly 40 percent of workers who
began their careers in travel earn at least
$100,000 – double the rate in the health
care industry.34
■ While workers who start their careers
elsewhere can only expect wage increases
of just slightly more than $42,000 during
the course of their careers, workers who
start in the travel industry can expect wage
increases of nearly $59,000.35
■ Minorities and women who start their
career in travel-related industries also see
a greater increase in their wages over the
course of their careers compared to those in
other industries.36
Why do so many who get their start in travel
or spend time working in travel go on to
enjoy rewarding careers? Th e travel industry
equips American workers with a full range of
professional skills and prepares them to succeed
in any profession – whether within the travel
industry or not.
The American workforce is incredibly mobile. From 1979 to 2010, the
average worker held 11 different jobs.31 A closer look at the data shows
that the travel industry has provided employment opportunities
for a signifi cant portion of the U.S. workforce over the past three decades.
For example, nearly one in fi ve survey participants (19%) got their fi rst
job in the travel industry, and an astonishing 50 percent held at least one
travel-related job in their career.32
Two out of fi ve workers who fi rst took a job in the travel industry
are now earning more than $100,000 per year.
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 11
Women
Hispanics
African-
American
First Job in Other Industries First Job in Travel
Travel Leads to Higher Pay for Women and Minorities
Average Maximum Annual Wage Achieved
Source: Oxford Economics based on BLS data
Travel industry employees have the
opportunity to engage with an extremely
diverse set of people on a daily basis – people
from many different backgrounds, age groups,
cultures and personalities. This diversity of
interaction builds valuable interpersonal skills
that position travel employees for success
in many industries. In addition, the travel
industry teaches employees how to respond to
customer needs by working in an environment
that is highly competitive and very dynamic –
invaluable experience that helps at every
step on the career ladder.
— Jeanne Fagan
Finger Lakes Community College
$20K $40K $60K $80K
$73,900 $78,000
$74,500 $80,100
$68,100 $71,900
6% higher
8% higher
6% higher
12 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
For Angie Anderson, the night when two chefs
walked off the job wasn’t a disaster — it was the
opportunity of a lifetime. “I’ll do it…I’ll cook,”
Angie told the restaurant manager, taking her first
step toward what would become a 20-year career as
a chef and her dream of owning a restaurant.
Running a restaurant well requires strong dedication
and the work ethic to conquer long hours at a
blistering pace. According to Angie, her career in the
restaurant business has equipped her with skills she
simply could not find anywhere else.
“This business has taught me the importance of
teamwork and close attention to detail. I think it rarely
can be duplicated in other workplaces or professions.”
Her career has also provided her with exceptional
customer service and interpersonal skills.
In 2005, Angie moved from hurricane-ravaged New
Orleans to tourist destination Holland, Michigan, and
opened her first restaurant, The G rass Cup Café.
What Chef Angie lacks in formal education, she has more than made up for in on-the-job
training. She has been a chef, server, manager and just about every other job possible in the
business. “Opening a restaurant was challenging, but making the leap from employee to
entrepreneur and business owner was easier because of my training and the many mentors
who not only showed me the right way to do things, but also told me the reasons why.”
Her experience in the industry has led to a career that exceeded her wildest expectations.
In 2010, she opened her second highly acclaimed restaurant, Blue House Bistro, where
she is owner and executive chef. The dedication and commitment required to own and
run a restaurant may leave less time for adventure but has provided Angie ample time to
accumulate savings. “My career has definitely given me the ability to do what I want to in life.”
Angie Anderson
Chef-Owner, Blue House Bistro
Holland, Michigan
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 13
In 2006, at age 29, Eduardo Garcia
became the youngest mayor ever
elected by Coachella, California voters.
According to Eduardo, the talent and skills
that help him campaign and govern were
learned more than 15 years ago during his
first job in the travel industry.
Mayor Garcia worked as a guest services
agent at a Desert Springs, California
resort from 1997 to 2001 as he paid
his way through the local community
college. He credits the resort’s “amazingly
supportive supervisors and managers
who all emphasized the importance of
completing my education” for helping
him effectively balance work and school
demands. “Their flexibility, respectfulness
and support for my goals and objectives
helped get me through.”
In fact, this early support fueled his ambitions to attain higher education. After completing
his bachelor’s degree at the University of California Riverside, Eduardo has gone on to do
post-graduate work at Harvard’s Kennedy School and received his master’s degree from the
University of Southern California in Public Policy, Planning and Development in May 2012.
Mayor Garcia believes his time in the travel industry was critical to both his educational and
career success, helping to spark personal and professional growth and to provide him with the
skills necessary to thrive in public service.
Whenever he gets the chance, Mayor Garcia tells people that there was no better place to
prepare for a career in public service than in travel. “The skills I learned working in the travel
industry — teamwork, communications skills, understanding people’s needs and situations, and
working hard to solve problems — are the essence of the public service work I do now.”
And these skills are at the heart of his success as a public servant. In December 2012, Eduardo
was sworn in once more as the mayor of Coachella after winning his fourth consecutive term.
Eduardo Garcia
Mayor
Coac hella, California
Behind these statistics are inspiring stories of Americans who know
firsthand where a job in the travel industry can lead. There are
stories of unemployed workers finding a job that secures their place
in the middle class. There are stories of part-time students financing their
education while learning transferable skills on the job. There are stories of
families realizing the American Dream. Today, as the statistics prove beyond
a doubt, that dream begins in the travel industry.
14 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
The Bottom Line
The message is clear: The travel industry is an
essential contributor to a strong, upwardly mobile
job market. To ensure that all Americans have
the opportunities they need to succeed – whether
it’s grabbing that first rung on the job ladder or
building a rewarding career – we need to enact
public policies that encourage a strong and
growing travel industry.
By joining together with the travel industry,
leaders in both the government and the private
sector can help advance policies that will expand
opportunities for millions of American workers:
■■ Winning the Competition for International
Travelers: Global long-haul travel is projected
to grow by 40 percent over the next decade.37
By streamlining our visa process and adding
more countries to the Visa Waiver Program,
we can achieve the nation’s goal of attracting
100 million international visitors annually
by 2021.
■■ Investing in Brand USA, America’s
First‑ver Nationally Coordinated
Marketing Effort: By continuing to invest
in travel promotion – at the federal, state and
local level – we can attain stronger economic
growth and lower unemployment.
■■ Improving the Air Travel Experience: By
strengthening security at U.S. airports while
reducing the burdens on travelers, aviation
security becomes more efficient and effective.
Research proves that with common sense
reforms, we could generate an additional
$85 billion in traveler spending that
would support 900,000 American jobs.38
■■ Building World-Class Infrastructure to
Support America’s World-Class Destinations:
According to the World Economic Forum,
America’s roads are ranked just 20th and
aviation infrastructure a lowly 30th in the
world.39 Our country’s destinations need
high-performing infrastructure to attract
visitors – and that requires new investment
in our roads and runways.
The travel industry is an
essential contributor to a strong,
upwardly mobile job market.
FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 15
Employers today are looking for a combination of skills
that demonstrate flexibility, resourcefulness and the
ability to provide customer service by listening and
anticipating the needs of others. Working in the hospitality
industry provides a means for young professionals to hone
all of those skills.
Greater emphasis on “soft skills” like effective
communication and the ability to work within a team are
also cited as desirable employee traits. The multicultural
environment of a hospitality operation and the nature
of being “on stage” daily when serving guests and
customers, allows employees to develop the critical skills
necessary to be successful in a variety of career fields.
— Lydia Westbrook
Conrad N. Hilt on College of Hotel & Resta urant Ma nagement,
University of Houston
Discover the impact of travel on the
nation’s economy and see more real‑ife employee
profiles online at www.ustravel.org/jobs
16 FAST FORWARD U. S . TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
20 “America’s Dynamic Workforce,” U.S. Department of
Labor, August 2008. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/
viewcontent.cgi?article=1545&context=key_workplace
21 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS.
22 “Travel Means Jobs,” U.S. Travel Association, 2012.
http://www.ustravel.org/jobs
23 “The Quality of Tourism Jobs,” Economic Policy Institute,
March 2012.
24 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS.
25 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS and Oxford Economics.
26 Ibid.
27 U.S. Travel defines “middle class” between 75 and
200 percent of median U.S. wage, based on discussions
with Economic Policy Institute.
28 U.S. Travel Association and Department of Labor – BLS.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS, 2010.
32 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS and Oxford Economics.
33 Ibid.
34 Ibid.
35 Ibid.
36 Ibid.
37 “Ready for Takeoff: A Plan to Create 1.3 million U.S. Jobs by
Welcoming millions of International Travelers,” U.S. Travel
Association, 2011. http://www.smartervisapolicy.org
38 “A Better Way,” U.S. Travel Association, 2011.
http://www.ustravel.org/betterway
39 “The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013,”
World Economic Forum, 2012. http://reports.weforum.org/
global-competitiveness-report-2012-2013/
Endnotes
1 U.S. Travel Association.
2 Ibid.
3 “The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to
the Congress,” Senate Committee on Banking,
Housing and Urban Affairs, July 17, 2012. http://
akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.
view&id=39a6f86b-606f-4b9c-aed0-ae1a63e6fe61
4 “Foreign visitors lift tourism industry,” San Francisco
Chronicle, July 24, 2012. http://www.sfgate.com/business/
article/Foreign-visitors-lift-tourism-industry-3732360.php
5 “Remarks by the President Unveiling a Strategy
to Help Boost Travel and Tourism,” The White
House, January 19, 2012. http://www.whitehouse.gov/
the-press-office/2012/01/19/remarks-president-unveilingstrategy-
help-boost-travel-and-tourism
6 U.S. Travel Association.
7 U.S. Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) and Oxford Economics.
8 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS, 2011.
9 U.S. Travel Association and Department of Labor – BLS.
10 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS and Oxford Economics.
11 U.S. Travel Association.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid.
16 “Travel Means Jobs,” U.S. Travel Association, 2012.
http://www.ustravel.org/jobs
17 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS and Oxford Economics.
18 Ibid.
19 U.S. Department of Labor – BLS, 2011.
1100 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 450 • Washington, D.C. 20005-3934
TEL 202 408 8422 • ustravel.org
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