Promoting Travel in Tough Economic Times

Critics in Washington have mislabeled many meetings and events as unnecessary and frivolous - causing companies that have received federal government support, as well as many that have not - to cancel planned and future meetings, conventions and activities. Whether a company has received emergency government lending or not, its inclination is to avoid the prospect of being ridiculed like AIG, Wells Fargo and others.

But American workers and local communities will pay the price as meetings, events and incentive travel decline. In Louisville, the travel industry brings more than $1.7 billion into the city’s economy annually. The tourism industry overall employs 28,000 people in Louisville. Though the intent of the threatened federal regulation is to punish fat cats who got bonuses and flew in corporate jets, the real victims are the housekeepers, cooks, security guards, front desk clerks, servers and others who will likely lose their jobs as hotels, restaurants and other travel-related businesses are forced to lay off workers or close their doors because of slowing business.
 

Clearly, companies that have received emergency government lending have an obligation to operate with transparency and accountability. The travel community has addressed an urgent public need by developing clear, workable guidelines designed to ensure responsible business travel practices within companies that have received emergency government lending. But additional punitive policies to limit meetings, events and incentive travel will unite business, labor and local government leaders in opposition.

Ten hospitality leaders sent a letter to each member in Congress expressing concern about their impressions of travel. You can read that letter by clicking here. One positive action step you can take is to respectfully submit a letter to your Congressman and encourage them to help the tourism industry hold on to our jobs and businesses during this tough economic period by asking Congress to be a supporter of legitimate business travel. Together we can make a difference.