Newly Formed Travel Coalition Says Government Aid Needed Now

A newly formed coalition of travel sector representatives, both public and private, have called on Congress to pass another relief package before year’s end.

The group, which includes the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association, according to our sister publication Travel Weekly, is called the Covid Relief Now Coalition.

“With Election Day well behind us and most races settled, we renew our urgent request for action to help stave off further job loss on Main Street, especially as spiking coronavirus cases put economies across the country at further risk,” the coalition wrote.

The coalition said it surveyed more than 1,800 cities, counties and industry associations, and 80 percent of respondents said their financial health was impacted by COVID, while 91 percent believe their condition will worsen without additional financial aid.

A second round of government aid has been discussed for months after the initial CARES Act distributed $25 billion in grants and loans just to airlines alone in March. But this latest package has been bogged down by partisan politics until a breakthrough earlier this week of a bipartisan proposal that calls for another $17 billion for the airlines, as well as aid for other travel entities.

“The time to advance the next round of Covid-related economic relief is now, during the 2020 lame-duck legislative session,” the coalition said.