Grant T. Harris is the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Analysis 

This is the fourth piece in a blog series about the 2023 National Export Strategy, a government-wide strategic plan to support American businesses through trade promotion activities. This article focuses on the Travel and Tourism chapter of the National Export Strategy. This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy. 

The holiday travel season is here! As families and friends gather for celebrations, it’s a great time to spotlight a critical driver of economic growth and employment in the United States: the travel and tourism industry. 

You’ve seen the headlines: Travel is back, and travelers from all over the nation and world are bringing immense economic benefits to communities across the country. In 2021, $1.7 trillion of economic activity was generated by the travel and tourism industry, and nearly 1 in every 20 jobs in the United States relies directly or indirectly on this sector. The Department of Commerce has made it a top priority to strengthen our nation’s global competitiveness in travel and tourism, and to create a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable travel and tourism industry for the future. 

We are hard at work implementing the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy and, as we head into the holiday season, we wanted to highlight five things you need to know about travel and tourism in the United States: 

1. Travel to the United States is bouncing back 

ITA’s National Travel and Tourism Office forecasts that we are on track to reach the National Travel and Tourism Strategy’s goal of welcoming 90 million visitors to the United States by 2027. These visitors are estimated to spend $279 billion annually. This is positive news and is based on data that ITA’s economists collect and analyze from the Survey of International Air Travelers and other sources. In 2022, nearly 51 million international visitors came to the United States—more than double the number from 2021. Those travelers spent $165 billion on goods and services, supporting more than 1 million American jobs. In the first nine months of 2023, international visitation to the United States reached 82% of what it was pre-pandemic—a significant improvement from 61% during the first eight months of 2022. 

2. We are working to meet visa demand and enhance the travel experience 

The U.S. Department of State is issuing visas at a record pace as demand for travel to the United States around the world continues to surge following the pandemic. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection agency is expanding biometric entry and exit through public-private partnerships with airlines and airports to enhance security and the travel experience.   

3. We are working to make destinations more accessible for travelers with disabilities 

The U.S. Government wants to facilitate travel opportunities for people with disabilities. One way we’re doing that is by better communicating accessibility information to the public so that more travelers can enjoy national parks, historical and landmark destinations, and natural attractions. For instance, the National Park Service launched a new resource to help travelers with disabilities plan trips by providing information on accessible features and services at national parks. Ocean lovers who visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuaries also will benefit from newly developed and installed accessible exhibits on local marine life. 

4. We are mobilizing resources to accelerate recovery for the travel and tourism industry 

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration invested $750 million from funding that was passed through the American Rescue Plan to support travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation communities hard hit by the pandemic. Today, funding is being invested in every state and territory across 185 awards, and communities are using these investments to rebuild the travel and tourism sector and create a more equitable, competitive, and resilient industry.   

5. We are working to make travel and tourism communities more resilient 

Today, federal funds are also being used to support communities across America as they enhance their capacity and ability to benefit from travel and tourism. One way we are making travel and tourism communities more resilient is by protecting coastal communities from the climate crisis through historic investments, including from the Inflation Reduction Act. These efforts include supporting rural and tribal communities by helping them to leverage the power of the growing outdoor recreation economy.  

These are just a few of many examples, and we hope for more good news in the new year. If you are interested in learning more, check out the National Travel and Tourism Strategy and the many other sectors of that drive the U.S. economy in the 2023 National Export Strategy. 

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