The US Travel Association has welcomed a move to drop the country’s Covid vaccine mandate for international travellers.
The travel organisation was responding to a US Senate bill to terminate a federal Covid-19 emergency declaration imposed in March 2020 ahead of its original May 11 expiration date.
US Travel Association president and chief executive Geoff Freeman said: “Today’s bipartisan action by Congress to lift the vaccine requirement for travel to the US eases a significant entry barrier for many global travellers that will move our country forward.
“To further increase global competitiveness, the Biden administration must set a goal to reduce wait times to 21 days for US visitor visas, which still exceed a year in our top ten visa-requiring markets.
“Together, these policies can help achieve the Commerce Department’s goal of welcoming 90 million visitors annually by 2027.
“US Travel Association extends its appreciation to Congress and urges president Biden to support the legislation.”