Commerce Secretary Says Restarting Business Travel is a “Top Priority”
Raimondo hopes for “nice uptick” in business and international travel after Labor Day
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said restarting business and international travel was a “top priority” of the administration. Speaking on a virtual forum conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, she said she is doing everything as an advocate to open key corridors for business travel internationally.
With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the US and the UK and more slowly in the rest of Europe, she said, “I’m hopeful that post-Labor Day we will see a nice uptick in business travel and international travel.”
Raimondo said she will do everything she can “to revitalize domestic and international business travel through agencies that report to me.” She said easing travel restrictions is a top priority of hers and the administration’s and promises that “we are collaborating across the government to do everything we can to ease travel restrictions safely.“
The secretary also said that the department would soon announce a package of $750 million in aid to the US travel and tourism industries. The funds would be used by individual states in a “flexible” manner, depending on where each state sees the most need.
