National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual salute to travel in America, is May 6-12, 2018. The beginning of May is often a time when people nationwide begin planning their trips around the country. So it makes sense that the travel and tourism industry should come together to showcase how this industry positively impacts our country, states, counties, and cities, and what it means for families and our neighbors during the first full week in May.

As the digital advertisement publisher for local businesses on destination marketing organization websites, Destination Travel Network is proud to support an industry that creates jobs and drives revenues to sustain our communities. From the DMOs who promote destinations to the business owners and their staff who provide places to stay, things to do and venues to eat and gather, together we are part of an industry of opportunity.

 

Here’s how we all make a difference through the industry we serve.

  • As the 7th largest employer, the travel industry supports 15.3 million jobs; 8.6 million directly in the travel industry and 6.7 million in other industries.
  • One in every 9 American jobs depends on travel.
  • Travel is a Top 10 Employer in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
  • Travel is our country’s top service export, generating $2.3 trillion in economic output each year.
  • Travel is America’s second largest industry export.
  • Travel employment has created jobs faster than the rest of the economy across the U.S., generating 9% of all new jobs following the Great Recession.

 “Many aspects of the U.S. travel experience may have changed over the years, but one thing hasn’t: its impact on the lives of American workers all over the country,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Whether we’re talking about 1968 or 2018, travel jobs have been a gateway to the middle class for millions—and they’re completely non-exportable, no matter how much the global economy changes.”

““I am fortunate to have worked in the tourism industry for nearly 30 years, including positions with the Tucson Airport Authority, City of Tucson and 19 years at Visit Tucson before joining DTN,” said Destination Travel Network’s DMO Markets Manager Vicki Doyle. “I know firsthand the impact travel has not only on the communities we serve through revenue and job generation, but also to the people who travel. Getting away is so important to our mental wellbeing, our relationships and our work performance.”

You can join in the 35th annual NTTW celebrations as DMOs and tourism businesses around the country embrace this year’s theme, “Travel Then and Now”. Check your local convention and visitors’ bureau website for events near you, or create your own with this tool kit provided by the U.S. Travel Association.