U.S. Travel Launches New Member Resources

The U.S. Travel Association recently released a number of new tools to help its members and the industry navigate current challenges and communicate travel’s far-reaching impact on the U.S. economy, American jobs and local communities across the country.

Made in America: Travel's Essential Contribution to Economic Development
When travel thrives, so do local economies and the rest of America. That is the central takeaway of U.S. Travel’s in-depth report entitled “Made in America: Travel’s Essential Contribution to Economic Development.” The public-facing report defines the vital contributions destination marketers make to local communities and overall economic development. The report provides examples of how travel is a revenue generator supporting public sector jobs, how travel bolsters rural communities and small businesses, the role destinations play in crisis management, takes an in-depth look at how travel promotion can strengthen communities and highlights the importance of managing image and creating brand affinity. An accompanying toolkit is available, which includes sample letters to elected officials, talking points, a social media tip sheet and graphics. 

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This report is the first release in a series of useful research reports under the new “Made in America” umbrella, which will also include an in-depth look at career advancement within the travel industry, as well as travel’s role in creating American jobs.

Travel's Downstream Impact Calculator
The Downstream Impact Calculator—which is included in the Travel’s Essential Contribution to Economic Development toolkit—shows how increases or decreases in traveler spending affect output and jobs, and breaks down how specific industries are impacted. It also simulates the effect of changes in policies related to travel including Brand USA, international travel and Open Skies agreements. This tool is available online. 

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Travel Economic Impact Calculator
This previously-released interactive tool—another useful component of the Travel’s Essential Contribution to Economic Development toolkit—shows how changes in traveler spending impact a state’s economy. The calculator includes simulations for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the total U.S., and was developed to help policymakers and travel professionals better understand how even small changes in travel spending can significantly impact a state’s economy. Users can estimate the impact of travel spending at the state level caused by policy changes, business cycle swings, major events and more. This tool is available online.

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Member-Exclusive Tools

Webinar series
A new webinar series, The Debrief, will be held on the last Tuesday of every month. The webinars will cover a variety of topics to educate members on timely resources, insights, new tools and upcoming events. The first webinar, “Making the Case for Travel,” will be held on Tuesday, September 25. If you’d like to learn more about the webinar series, please contact Jamie Mageau.

Playbook: Protecting Your Budget
In difficult political environments, travel promotion budgets are a frequent target. The Protecting Your Budget playbook—developed as a members-only supplement to the Travel’s Essential Contribution to Economic Development report— arms destination marketing leaders with tools and materials to help manage budgets crises, and provides examples of how different destinations navigated their own budget troubles.

Playbook: Crisis Readiness and Response
There is no way to know if and when a crisis will strike, but destinations can ready themselves, their organizations and staff for the unthinkable. The Crisis Readiness and Response playbook encourages destinations to devise a game plan long before a crisis begins, guides destinations through developing a response and provides a roadmap for recovery. 

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If you are not yet a U.S. Travel member and are interested in these resources—and our numerous other benefits—click here to learn more about becoming a member.