The Albany Gazette - USA needs travel reforms to cope with mega sports events: report

The report from the Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, a body established by the US Travel Association (USTA), said change is needed to make the most of a number of upcoming global sports events.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2025 Ryder Cup and America's 250th anniversary next year are identified as key events bringing significant numbers of visitors to the United States.

"America is staring at a historic opportunity -- the question is whether we will seize the moment or fall maddeningly short," said Geoff Freeman, President and chief executive officer of the USTA.

"The next several years will bring unprecedented travel demand that our systems are not prepared to handle. Washington has a small window to fix major travel pain points and unlock a $100 billion economic opportunity -- but it will require a level of urgency that has been missing in recent years."

The report states that excessive visa wait times alone could cost the nation $150 billion in spending over the next 10 years by encouraging 39 million visitors to travel elsewhere.

The report calls for the creation of "the world's most advanced and secure airport screening process" by making a major investment in security technology.

The USTA called for reducing airport customs wait times by improved use of biometrics and advance vetting and strengthening consular staffing for visa processing.

The report suggested President Donald Trump's administration should establish a task force to bring leadership to the effort from across the federal government.

(Y.Harris--TAG)