May 7-13 is the 34th annual recognition of National Travel and Tourism Week, which unites communities across the country to celebrate what travel means to American jobs, economic growth, and personal well-being. So we at Simpleview would like to take a moment to thank not only the hundreds of destination marketing organizations that we work with directly, but all DMOs across the nation for working hard every day to support their local communities and the travel and tourism industry as a whole.
“Travel supports one in nine American jobs, including 167,139 jobs right here in Arizona,” said Ryan George, Simpleview’s CEO. “This week, we are celebrating what travel means to our community and our country, and thanking the destination marketing organizations that we work with across the nation for all they do to promote the travel and tourism industry.”
DMOs: One of the “Faces of Travel”
As a producer of CRM and web technologies for DMOs, and digital marketing services, we see every day the hard work and dedication of DMO teams large and small who passionately promote and support their communities.The theme of this year’s NTTW, “Faces of Travel,” shines a spotlight on the people that make up America’s travel industry, and we feel that includes DMOs, along with airline and hotel employees, restaurant, attraction and retail workers, and related sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and finance.
According to Destination Marketing Association International, “Through a combination of case studies, interviews, literature review, and statistical analysis, Oxford Economics finds that destination promotion fuels development across the entire economic spectrum. In addition to generating jobs and tax revenues by attracting visitors, the activities of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) drive broader economic growth by sustaining air service, creating familiarity, attracting decision makers, and improving the quality of life for residents.”
The Economic Impact of the Travel Industry
Local Travel Numbers:
- 167,139 jobs are supported by travel and tourism in Arizona
- Travel and tourism generates $2.5 billion in tax receipts for Arizona
Travel’s Nationwide Economic Impact:
- Travel is a $2.3 trillion industry in the U.S., with $990.3 billion in direct travel-related spending in the U.S. by domestic and international visitors in 2016.
- These visitors support 15.3 million American jobs—roughly 8.6 million direct travel jobs, and 6.7 million indirect and induced jobs.
- Travel-related spending generated $157.8 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues in 2016.
The Benefits of Travel to Well-Being
In addition to its benefits for the local economy, travel can also have a positive effect on personal well-being for residents and visitors of Arizona. Numerous research studies have confirmed the positive health effects of travel and time off, from reducing the risk of heart disease to decreasing depression. Using time off to travel with family is good for everyone, especially our children—kids who travel with their families are more likely to attend college and earn more as adults.
A Salute and Call to Action
“Our industry is one that relies on human interaction,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, the umbrella organization representing the U.S. travel industry. “Whether it’s the front desk concierge at a hotel, the tour guide in a city’s historic district, or the CEO of a destination marketing organization, our people are what make America a great place to visit, and keep our economy strong. This National Travel and Tourism Week, we’re saluting the people behind the travel industry, and calling on our nation’s leaders to prioritize travel-friendly legislation, for the sake of millions of American workers.”
Learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week 2017.