WASHINGTON – In a letter delivered on Friday, the U.S. Travel Association called on Congressional leaders to pass substantial disaster relief to regions devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton as soon as Congress reconvenes.
In the letter, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman writes: “We urge you to swiftly pass a disaster supplemental appropriations bill by Thanksgiving to support communities devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Damage caused by these storms is estimated to total more than $100 billion dollars, with downstream impacts on travel, visitor spending, hotel bookings, tax revenues and employment.”
The letter continues: “In states hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the travel industry accounts for more than 2 million jobs, $282 billion in travel spending and more than $20 billion in state and local tax receipts. Past hurricanes demonstrate that it takes an average of 6-12 months before travel spending returns to baseline levels…. North Carolina’s Mountain region, home to 47,000 travel industry workers, stands to lose $2.1 billion in visitor spending this fall alone.”
The letter concludes: “Given the urgency of the need, Congress should endeavor to pass disaster relief legislation before Thanksgiving to help these communities recover and avoid further economic damage.”
