Welcome : 2013

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.

Watch Interview

Visit TravelEffect.com

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.

Read the press release

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.

Read the "Gateway to Jobs & Growth" report

Visit www.TravelersVoice.org

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.

Register today!

Watch to learn more

JOLT Act Passes 100 Co-sponsors—51 Democrats, 52 Republicans

The JOLT Act has surpassed 100 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, split almost exactly between the two major political parties.
More

Travel Exports Reach Record High in August

Travel exports hit a record monthly high of $15 billion even as the overall trade deficit deteriorated slightly in the latest monthly report.
More

Travel Industry Withstands Shutdown, Adds 16K Jobs in October

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.
More

Government Shutdown Costs U.S. Travel Economy $152 Million Per Day

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.
More

America's Travel Community Tells Their Shutdown Stories

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.
More

Travel Leaders to Congress: Improve CBP Entry Process

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.
More

U.S. Travel Association Hails Expansion of TSA Pre✓™

The travel community applauds this move to dramatically expand the Pre✓™ program, which already has immensely benefitted the traveler experience while bolstering aviation security.
More

Typical Day on U.S. Highways Will Soon Look Like Labor Day

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.
More

New Study Says Government Travel for Meetings Leads to Greater Productivity, Efficiency

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.
More

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November 15, 2013

ronaldlowry45@yahoo.com

Travel creates opportunities and launches careers

Fast Forward

FAST FORWARD U. S . T RAVE L AS SOC IAT ION 1

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

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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November 15, 2013

News & Highlights

“Roam” to Improve Youth’s Academic Performance and Future Success

Travel Community Welcomes End of Federal Shutdown

U.S. Entry: Gateway to Jobs & Growth

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. More

Travel exports hit a record monthly high of $15 billion even as the overall trade deficit deteriorated slightly in the latest monthly report. More

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.More

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.More

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. More

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. More

The travel community applauds this move to dramatically expand the Pre✓™ program, which already has immensely benefitted the traveler experience while bolstering aviation security. More

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.More

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. More

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The JOLT Act has surpassed 100 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, split almost exactly between the two major political parties.
More

Travel exports hit a record monthly high of $15 billion even as the overall trade deficit deteriorated slightly in the latest monthly report.
More

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.
More

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.
More

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.
More

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.
More

The travel community applauds this move to dramatically expand the Pre✓™ program, which already has immensely benefitted the traveler experience while bolstering aviation security.
More

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.
More

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.
More

More Research

Help shape the discussion on how to revitalize America's travel infrastructure.
More

The travel industry’s premier legislative fly-in.
More

The industry's international marketplace and largest generator of inbound travel.
More