FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erika Boyd VP, Government Relations & Communications
The Texas Travel Alliance calls on Governor Abbott to recognize the importance of the Travel Industry to Texas’ economic recovery
(Austin, TX), May 12, 2020
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As Texas begins to allow businesses to reopen across all sectors of the economy, those in the hard-hit travel sector stand ready to help the state economy rebound from this devastating pandemic. Many of the 60,000 small businesses in the travel and tourism industry have closed their doors and been forced to furlough or lay-off employees during the shelter-in-place phase. Now that the Governor has initiated a phased reopening of the state, our members are ready to open and start contributing to their local economies and the state economy, putting millions of Texans back to work and generating much-needed tax revenues. We call on Governor Greg Abbott to recognize the importance of the Texas travel industry as a major revenue generator for the state’s economic recovery.
“On behalf of more than 600 organizational members, The Texas Travel Alliance calls on Governor Abbott to publicly recognize the importance of the Texas travel industry to the state’s economy,” said Texas Travel Alliance President & CEO Dan Decker. “The 1.2 million Texans who work in travel and tourism are counting on the Governor.
Life’s Better in a State of Travel
is more than a slogan, it is an important step toward getting the Texas economy moving again. We invite the Governor to join us in our efforts.”
Our members are implementing best practices and protocols as well as rigorous training for cleanliness, health, and safety. Experienced industry leaders are collaborating on the methods they are adopting to ensure their employees, guests, and the community remain safe as we begin traveling, shopping in local businesses, eating at restaurants, and visiting museums, aquariums, zoos, parks and other attractions. (
See attached letter below to the Governor and re-opening plans)
The travel industry encompasses hotels, restaurants, airlines and airports, attractions, destinations, and many more businesses that create more than 1.2 million jobs in Texas. The travel industry is an economic driver for the Texas economy. It is among the largest export industries in the state, second only to oil and gas, and a significant contributor to oil and gas tax revenues as well as sales tax, hotel occupancy tax, auto rentals, alcoholic beverage tax, and others. Travel spending in Texas helps to lower the overall tax bill for every Texas household.
In 2018, due to travel spending in Texas, each Texas household paid
$740 less in taxes
. In 2018, according to data from the Governor’s Office of Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, a total of $80.3 billion in direct travel spending was recorded in Texas (by travelers to and within Texas). That travel spending generated
$4.5 billion in state taxes
and
$3.0 billion in local taxes.
Many local economies have suffered significant financial losses and are now facing massive budgetary shortfalls due to the lack of tax revenues generated by travel and tourism, which they rely on to fund their budgets.
The Texas travel industry stands ready to help revitalize state and local economies as we head into the summer months with a full, strong summer season, contributing much-needed tax revenues to fuel public services, education, and other critical community needs as we begin to recover from this devastating pandemic.
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Texas Travel Alliance is a non-profit organization made up of businesses, organizations, associations and individuals dedicated to making Life Better in a State of Travel. Our mission is to unify the travel industry and develop industry leadership that will support and influence the growth of Texas travel and tourism. For more information about the Texas Travel Alliance, visit
www.ttia.org
.
Attached is the letter to Governor Abbott on re-opening travel businesses in Texas, including plan to re-open Texas attractions and destinations with executive leadership signatories.
