The CEOs of 14 prominent American travel brands – including Hilton's Chris Nassetta, Marriott International's Arne Sorenson and Elie Maalouf of InterContinental Hotels Group – have sent a letter to President Trump and congressional leaders urging federal action on COVID-19 testing.
The letter, also signed by the CEOs of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Accor North America, Choice Hotels and the U.S. Travel Association, states that testing is vital for economic recovery and calls for an increased federal role in making effective testing widely available.
It also calls for “swift consideration and passage” of the TEST Act, which is “bipartisan Senate legislation that would enhance the resources and collaboration tools the federal government devotes to COVID-19 testing.”
Prior to the pandemic, the travel industry supported employment for one in 10 Americans; in 2020, it has already lost more than half of its 15.8 million jobs in 2019. The decline in travel-related spending is projected to cost the U.S. economy $1.2 trillion by the end of the year.
“In short, there can be no broader economic recovery without a recovery in travel,” the letter states.
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The executives say the industry has “aggressively” gathered data on the coronavirus outbreak and its fallout and have concluded that broader testing is essential to reopening and recovery. They also ask that testing methods return results within 24 to 48 hours.
The letter references a COVID-19 testing white paper produced by the U.S. Travel Association, which found that wider availability of testing would help determine whether reopening is safe, help keep employees safe and businesses open, promote safe and healthy travel and restore consumer confidence.
“At this unprecedented moment in our history, with our economy continuing to suffer the impact of this pandemic, we are unanimous in our belief that a strong federal role is both necessary and appropriate to achieve the necessary enhancements to our national testing capability,” the letter continues.
“We urge Congress to include the TEST Act in the next phase of coronavirus response legislation, and to provide more robust federal investment in the research, development, distribution and capacity of COVID-19 testing.
“The federal government must also continue to provide leadership through developing a national strategy, validating new testing technologies and protocols, and encouraging a more coordinated response across all levels of government.”
It concludes by saying that the millions of jobs lost to the pandemic can only return if demand for travel products and services rebounds, and that demand is inextricably linked to the confidence that effective testing will create.
“Testing enables reopening. Testing enables rehiring. Testing enables recovery.”