Secretary Raimondo: “We have not fully recovered – you see that in your state. So, yes I would fully support that.”
Watch Video of Senator Rosen’s Remarks HERE
WASHINGTON, DC – During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo about the importance of a coordinated effort to boost America’s global competitiveness in the international travel market through her Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act. This bipartisan legislative package is focused on restoring the nation’s travel and tourism industry from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We do need what you say, which is full coordination,” answered Secretary Raimondo. “As I said earlier, we’re still a million and a half jobs in travel and tourism below where we were pre-pandemic. We have not fully recovered – you see that in your state. So, yes I would fully support that.”
The Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act was introduced by Senator Rosen, Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS), Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion Ranking Member Rick Scott (R-FL), and a large bipartisan group of co-sponsors, including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). The bill advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee with unanimous support in December. Rosen is the Chair of the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion.
Tourism is one of Nevada’s key industries and employs nearly 350,000 Nevadans. Although Nevada’s economy is beginning to recover and experiencing strong growth, the state unemployment rate remains one of the worst in the country. In the Las Vegas area, visitor volume is still down 18% and hotel room occupancy is down 17.7% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Nationwide, unemployment in the leisure and hospitality industry, covering the bulk of tourism businesses and workers, is nearly twice the national average.
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