The Biden administration’s decision to waive the COVID-19 testing requirement for U.S.-bound aviation travelers was welcomed by airlines and travel organizations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer require tourists destined for the United States to submit proof of a negative COVID test as of Sunday. The FDA lifted the restriction due to the broad availability of vaccinations and treatments.
According to a study provided by the United States Travel Association, the move may boost travel expenditure by $9 billion, helping the sector recover from the COVID outbreak.
US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow stated, “Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States. “The Biden administration is to be commended for this action, which will welcome back visitors from around the world and accelerate the recovery of the U.S. travel industry.”
President of Airlines for America, Nicholas Calio, highlighted tourism’s economic advantages.
“Lifting this policy will help encourage and restore air travel to the United States, benefiting communities across the country that rely heavily on travel and tourism to support their local economies. We are eager to welcome the millions of travelers who are ready to come to the U.S. for vacation, business, and reunions with loved ones,” Calio made a point of saying.
The announcement comes as President Joe Biden has gradually eased pandemic guidelines in the face of mounting evidence that the COVID virus will stay prevalent.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House senior medical adviser, stated in an interview in April that the United States was in a transitional period, from a slowing of the numbers to hopefully a more regulated phase and endemicity.
Court decisions have also aided the travel industry’s cause. U.S. On April 18, District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Florida decided that the federal aircraft mask regulation was beyond the CDC’s authority, prompting airlines to drop the demand.
