The U.S. Travel Association sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to pass immediate disaster-relief legislation for states hit hard by recent hurricanes. The letter was signed by over 100 organizations, including convention and visitors bureaus, tourism development groups, and chambers of commerce from Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia. These states saw severe damage to the tourism industry from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and the Hawaii Tourism Authority also signed the letter, following the wildfires that devastated parts of Maui in 2023.
The letter highlights the need for relief funds to support key activities, such as grants for businesses, rebuilding travel infrastructure, and marketing efforts to attract visitors back to affected areas. The U.S. Travel Association stressed that without these visitors, many small travel businesses will struggle to cover payroll and operating costs, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
North Carolina’s mountain region, which supports 47,000 travel industry workers, faces an estimated loss of $2.1 billion in visitor spending this fall alone, according to the letter.
The U.S. Travel Association had previously sent a similar request to Congress on November 1.
“Too many destinations are still waiting for the relief they desperately need,” said U.S. Travel CEO Geoff Freeman. “The holiday season is crucial for travel, and Main Street businesses are suffering. Congress must act now.”
Freeman is speaking this week at the National Council of State Tourism Directors Leadership Forum in Asheville, North Carolina. There, tourism leaders from 19 states are discussing the urgent need for federal aid to help rebuild tourism infrastructure.
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