Even as people began to travel domestically once again, international trips have lagged. Businesses that once relied on a stream of visitors are locked in a struggle for survival. With more economic uncertainty in store for 2023, the government should consider measures to act where it can, including taking a hard look at visa wait times, to help lessen businesses’ burdens.While millions of jobs nationwide rely on tourism , the industry is far behind where it stood before COVID-19 struck.
To mitigate the industry's struggles, there are several alternative avenues, many of which have been recently attempted with success. In 2012, as the U.S. was weighed down by another financial crisis, the federal government was exploring options to stimulate sectors of the economy that had fallen on hard times. One of the routes they pursued via executive order was taking a hammer to tourism visa wait times that had significantly increased in several countries and close trade partners.