The pandemic-related travel ban has finally been lifted after 18 months, and the airports across the U.S. saw plenty of visitors on Nov. 8 from Sao Paolo, Dublin, London, Brussels and all other parts of the world.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, issued a statement in celebration of this moment.
“The travel and tourism industry is a vital part of the American economy, providing millions of jobs to Americans, supporting local businesses and showcasing what our country has to offer to travelers from around the world. Tragically, the industry was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, grounding flights, docking cruise ships and shuttering hotels and tourist attractions as we fought to stop the spread," she said.
Raimondo highlighted the severity of the blow that the travel and tourism industry took due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She stated that the United States was, once again, "open for business" exclusively for fully vaccinated international travelers.
In the statement, Raimondo also said, “In that same spirit, I am also pleased to announce that the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration awarded $314 million in grants to 34 states and the District of Columbia to revitalize travel, tourism and outdoor recreation. Thanks to funding allocated in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, these grants will support states as they provide leisure, business and international travel to domestic and international visitors.”
