U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is breathing a sigh of relief over the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) recent indications it plans to soon remove all COVID-19-related restrictions on the cruise industry.
“Vaccines remain the most important tool we have to protect people against infection and hospitalization and ensure safe and sustainable travel on cruise ships,” Raimondo posted on Twitter. “Get vaccinated before you travel.”
Official plans now call for the restrictions to be formally lifted on Jan. 15, 2022. Raimondo added getting closer to that time has long been a work in progress.
“After a year and a half of close collaboration between cruise line partners and the federal government, this major milestone is another proof point that we are well on our way to a full economic recovery as we will build back better from this pandemic,” she added in a press release. “The cruising industry and the travel and tourism sector more broadly is vital to our economy and our ability to compete on the world stage. By working with the cruise industry throughout the pandemic, we were able to bring much needed commerce to America’s tourism-dependent regions, while also keeping passengers, communities and crew members safe.
Throughout all the upheaval, Raimondo has worked closely with the travel and tourism industry, among other things, establishing interagency partnerships, participating in expert working groups and facilitating ongoing engagement with businesses and leaders across the country. As recently as last month, she met with the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) to discuss how to accelerate the recovery and growth of the travel and tourism industry.
During that meeting, Raimondo is reported to have stressed the significance of employers requiring proof of vaccination for employees and encouraged industry leaders to come up with ways to incentivize customers to get vaccinated in order to further accelerate the sector’s recovery.
