Leaders of the US travel and aviation industry have called on the federal government to set a May 1 deadline to commit to a plan for reopening the country to inbound international visitation. This includes Canada, whose arrivals plummeted nearly 80 percent in 2020.

The US Travel Association is among the 26 organizations to sign a letter urging the White House “to partner with us to develop… a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to rescind inbound international travel restrictions.”

“Travel and tourism is the industry hardest hit by the economic fallout of COVID, and the damage is so severe that a broader economic recovery will stall if we can’t get travel off the ground,” said US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “Fortunately, enough progress has been made on the health front that a rebound for domestic leisure travel looks possible this year, but that alone won’t get the job done. A full travel recovery will depend on reopening international markets, and we must also contend with the challenge of reviving business travel.”

The industry letter to the White House notes that 2020 international arrivals to the US fell 77% from Canada, 62% from Mexico, and a whopping 81% from overseas markets versus the previous year —for a total loss to the US economy of $146 billion last year.

The significant decline in that travel segment is a big reason why travel’s total economic output in the US declined by more than a trillion dollars in 2020, with 5.6 million travel-supported jobs lost—65% of all US jobs lost last year.

If nothing is done to lift international travel bans and bring back demand, the US Travel Association estimates that a total of a 1.1 million American jobs will not be restored and $262 billion in export spending will be lost by the end of 2021.

However, if travel from the top inbound markets to the US is able to safely resume by July 4, 2021 and reach an average of 40% of 2019 levels for the remainder this year, it would accelerate economic recovery by adding $30 billion in incremental spending and bringing back 225,000 American jobs.

The letter emphasizes that controlling the pandemic must remain a top priority. The May timeline for an international reopening plan is supported by US president Biden’s promise to make every American eligible for a vaccination by May 1.

“To be clear, at this time, we do not support removal or easing of core public health protections, such as the universal mask mandate, inbound international testing requirement, physical distancing or other measures that have made travel safer and reduced transmission of the virus,” the letter states. “However, the data and science demonstrate that the right public health measures are now in place to effectively mitigate risk and allow for the safe removal of entry restrictions.”

The letter points to favourable trends in infections, hospitalizations, and vaccinations as indicating the proper moment to set a goals timeline for reopening.

“Taken together, these factors paint a clear picture,” the letter reads. “The risk of COVID-19 transmission while flying is low. Vaccination rates and immunity are increasing rapidly throughout the US. The burden of the virus on our nation’s public health system is decreasing. Airlines, airports, and travel businesses have the right protections and strategies in place to mitigate risk.

“We are ready to welcome back travellers and keep them safe. And the time to plan for and chart a defined roadmap to reopen international travel is now.”