Travel Matters to Keeping America Connected

Travel has a positive impact on so many aspects of our lives: from the memories it helps us create with family and friends, to the trillions in economic output it delivers and the millions of American jobs it supports. So, for this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week (May 5-11), we are spotlighting a different example each day of why travel matters to America. 

How could Americans get to work without trains and subways, or visit family and friends without highways? How could millions of international visitors see our great country without airports? Transportation infrastructure is the central pillar that keeps our country connected and links us to the rest of the world. Use Wednesday, May 8 to celebrate how travel matters to keeping America connected.

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Think about any trip you’ve taken in the U.S.—whether it was a cross-country plane home for the holidays, a train ride through the Rocky Mountains, or a road trip in the backseat of the family station wagon, our nation’s roads, rails and runways are the glue that holds our country together and keeps us connected to family and friends. 

Keeping America Connected: In the Air…

Breakfast with grandma in New York, then an important lunch meeting in California? No problem. Air travel connects our country in some pretty impressive ways. But breakfast with grandma shouldn’t be spent worrying if you’ll have enough time to make it to your gate or missing that big meeting because your flight was delayed. The flying experience in the U.S. should be safe, efficient and hassle free—we can start by prioritizing new technology and investment in air travel infrastructure. 

In 2018, three U.S. airports ranked in the top 10 globally in passenger traffic—moving millions of people to and through America, but not a single U.S. airport made the cut for top 30 best airports in the world—something smart investment can help correct. More passengers than ever are taking to America’s skies: prioritizing investment in air travel infrastructure can help make U.S. airports both the busiest and the best in the world, and ensure that millions of passengers are able to travel safely and efficiently. 

…And on Our Roads:

Ah, a summer weekend at the beach: sand, sun and…sitting in traffic, listening to car horns when you should be listening to the sound of ocean waves. Three-quarters of Americans travel using their own car according to U.S. Travel’s Domestic Travel Market Report, but the reality is a weekend getaway can mean hours of sitting in traffic and endless delays. And if something isn’t done to ease congestion on our roads, Labor Day-like levels of traffic will become a daily occurrence on America’s highways by 2026. Investing in ways to ease congestion on our roads can help cities, families and friends stay more connected—with less hassle. 

It is important that infrastructure investment is prioritized to ensure that all of our transportation systems are modern, safe and efficient and can continue to connect our country and welcome millions of international visitors. 

How to participate:

• On Wednesday, May 8, spotlight the travel infrastructure that brings visitors to your community.
• Spotlight epic road trip stops in your destination and share on social media.
• Tell your member of Congress on social media about infrastructure projects that need investment in your community. 

Useful tools:

• Learn more about individual travel trends in our Domestic Travel Market Report.
• Read about the importance of improving our infrastructure.

National Travel and Tourism Week is our industry’s time to celebrate the innumerable ways in which travel strengthens communities and enriches lives. Interested in other ways you can celebrate why “Travel Matters” during NTTW? View the full theme calendar. Don’t forget to include #nttw19 or #TravelMatters in your posts for a chance to be featured on our social channels and included in our wrap video. Planning an event? Add it to the official NTTW event map. Visit the NTTW toolkit for more resources to get involved.