WASHINGTON, DC — The new bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden on November 15 includes $550 billion for transportation projects that will improve airports, roads, bridges, rail, public transit and more. According to Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association (USTA), the bill “will have a profound impact on how people travel for decades to come,” including business travelers such as those attending trade shows in the United States.
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide critical funding for the airports, roads, rail, and broadband we rely on every day to successfully host trade events from coast to coast,” said Hervé Sedky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA). “These investments will help ensure our nation’s infrastructure is ready to support the industry as we restart the large-scale, in-person conferences and trade shows that will help Americans get back to business and back to work.”
“The effects of the pandemic will be felt for some time in the events ecosystem,” said David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA, IAEE president and CEO. “We applaud Congress for this bipartisan agreement that will jumpstart the modernization of our national infrastructure to create a marketplace more conducive to global business.”
CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM, added: “Contributions to U.S. GDP fell nearly 80% due to the closure of in-person B2B trade shows beginning in March 2020. With recovery expected to reach 2019 levels by 2023, now is the time to start making the United States a more welcoming destination for international travelers looking to do business in our cities.”
The new law will provide $25 billion to modernize and improve U.S. airports, a significant step up from the roughly $3.5 billion they currently receive annually under the Airport Improvement Program.
“With air traffic increasing, U.S. airports are eager to get to work on hundreds of critical improvement projects that will increase the capacity of our terminals and runways, increase the resiliency of our infrastructure and improve the overall passenger experience,” Kevin Burke, president and CEO of Airports Council International-North America, said in a statement.
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It will also provide $110 billion for roads, bridges, and other major highway projects; $40 billion for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation; $39 billion to modernize public transportation; and $66 billion to modernize passenger and freight rail, including eliminating Amtrak’s maintenance backlog and expanding rail service outside the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
“By making historic investments in our transportation infrastructure now, we can emerge from the pandemic with stronger, more modern and more efficient systems that can help drive a recovery in travel demand,” Dow said. “US Travel has been a strong advocate for this important legislation and has championed these important policies for years. The historic levels of transportation infrastructure investment in this legislation – including airports, rail, highways, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and more – will accelerate the future of traveler mobility.”
The bill also calls for the creation of a chief travel and tourism officer within the Department of Transport, who will help coordinate travel and tourism policy across all modes of transport. Dow said the role “will be critical to rebuilding our sector and preparing us to welcome back visitors from around the world.”
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The bill also provides non-transportation funding, including $65 billion to improve the nation’s broadband infrastructure.
While American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) President and CEO Chip Rogers joined Dow and Burke in announcing the new influx of infrastructure funding, he wasn’t as enthusiastic about where some of that funding is coming from.
“Reliable, modern infrastructure is essential to the hotel industry because it facilitates travel, trade, and American competitiveness,” Rogers said. “This bill would go a long way toward achieving these goals, but it comes at a high cost. The bill would end the Employee Retention Tax Credit two months early. Many hotels and their employees rely on this program, especially given ongoing concerns about COVID-19 and the negative economic impact it is having on hotels. While we strongly support investing in our nation’s infrastructure, struggling hotel employees and small businesses should not be forced to bear this cost, and AHLA will continue to advocate for the continuation of programs that help hoteliers weather the pandemic.”
Contact Roger Dow at (202) 408-8422 or [email protected]; Hervé Sedky at [email protected]; David DuBois at (972) 687-9204 or [email protected]; Cathy Breden at (972) 687-9201 or [email protected]; Kevin Burke at (202) 293-8500; Chip Rogers at (202) 289-3100