Hundreds of travel advocates representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia converged on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for the U.S. Travel Association's annual legislative fly-in, Destination Capitol Hill.

Delegates engaged in over 300 meetings with policymakers to address industry priorities aimed at enhancing global competitiveness, fostering economic growth, and bolstering job creation across the nation.

"This year's Destination Capitol Hill aims to lay the foundation for a more globally competitive future for travel," remarked Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "It provides a crucial platform for the travel industry, from every corner of the nation, to engage with lawmakers on issues critical to our sustained success and expansion."

Top among the legislative priorities advocated by participants were:

Reduction of visitor visa wait times, averaging 400 days for key source markets.
Decrease in customs wait times, which can exceed two hours during peak periods at major U.S. airports.
Full funding for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism for Fiscal Year 2025.
Advancement of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill.
Delegates armed themselves with fresh data highlighting the indispensable contributions of the travel industry to the U.S. economy and workforce:

In 2023, travel accounted for $1.3 trillion in direct spending, generating an economic footprint of $2.8 trillion.
The travel sector supported over 15 million American workers, with 8 million directly employed within the industry.
Travel spending contributed nearly $165 billion in total tax revenue, including $89 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2023.
Travel-generated tax revenue provided an average tax relief of $1,273 per U.S. household.
Ahead of their scheduled meetings with U.S. lawmakers, hundreds of travel advocates from diverse backgrounds joined the Destination Capitol Hill program. Additionally, the U.S. Travel Association honored Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with the prestigious Legislator of the Year award during the fly-in event.