WASHINGTON (January 23, 2017)—U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on the inauguration of 45th U.S. president Donald J. Trump:
"On behalf of the U.S. travel and tourism community, I would like to welcome President Trump to the White House. During the campaign and since the election, President Trump emphasized a number of issues for which the American travel community shares his enthusiasm: infrastructure, domestic jobs and the U.S. trade balance. As it happens, all of our longstanding policy priorities align perfectly with that agenda.
"The president clearly understands the economic centrality of a modern and thriving infrastructure. He has specifically mentioned the state of our airports as cause for alarm—a belief that we share. We look forward to discussing with him our plan to finally make our airports competitive once again with those in the rest of the developed world.
"We stand ready, as well, to work with the new administration on matters pertaining to travel security and the U.S. entry process. Without security, there can be no travel. The travel security partnerships we cultivate abroad help foster our security at home. We have worked extensively to modernize and update policies that provide secure and efficient entry points and increase intelligence sharing that helps stop threats before reaching the U.S. Maintaining an efficient travel system capable of detecting threats in a changing global environment is a continued priority for us and we look forward to working with the new Administration on this important work.
"Travel is the No. 1 U.S. services export and the No. 3 export overall, and supports one in nine U.S. jobs—jobs that exist in every congressional district in the country and cannot be outsourced abroad. President Trump brings an extensive business and hospitality background to the White House, and we believe he possesses an intuitive understanding of the need for policies and people moving into and around this country. The U.S. travel industry will be a capable, willing partner to the Trump administration, as we have been to presidents on both sides of the aisle for 75 years."
