Blacklane, a chauffeur service app, said Tuesday that it has raised $65 million (€60 million) in a series G round of funding.
U.S. Projects 90 Million Visitors by 2026
30.10.2024 - 03:15 / skift.com / Antony Blinken / Rashaad Jorden / Richard Verma
The U.S. is on pace to attract 90 million visitors by 2026, a year ahead of the State Department’s goal, according to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
Raimondo discussed the projected visitor boom at a press conference Tuesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, where they both touched on the economic benefits of tourism to the U.S. and the sector’s ongoing recovery from the pandemic.
“By next year, we’re projecting that the industry will be fully recovered from Covid,” Raimondo said.
However, inbound visitor spending, when adjusted for inflation, is not expected to make a full recovery until 2026. The U.S. had roughly 66.5 million international tourists in 2023, up from close to 51 million the previous year.
Blinken said the State Department has made significant progress in reducing wait times to obtain visitor visas, which has been a priority for the U.S. travel industry as the country prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“Wait times to get visas are down, down by nearly 60% since the acute phase of the pandemic,” Blinken said at Tuesday’s press conference. “Today, the medium wait time is under 60 days for a first-time visitor visa interview.”
Blinken added the State Department issued 8.5 million visitor visas during the 2024 fiscal year, the highest figure since 2016, when the department issued 6.9 million visitor visas.
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said during the Skift Global Forum in September that the department was seeing “off the charts” demand for U.S. visitor visas but that it was largely able to get visa wait times back to pre-Covid levels.
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
travelpulse.com
29.10.2024 / 21:53
Department of Transportation Fines American Airlines $50 Million for Mistreating Disabled Travelers
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued American Airlines a landmark $50 million penalty for the airline’s mistreatment of disabled travelers and their mobility aids between 2019 and 2023.
travelpulse.com
29.10.2024 / 21:53
MSC Cruises Unveils Alaska Cruises From Seattle for 2026
It’s off to Alaska for MSC Cruises, as the MSC Poesia will homeport in Seattle, the company announced on Monday.
skift.com
29.10.2024 / 19:45
Serko to buy GetThere from Sabre for $12 Million
Sabre is planning to sell its business-travel booking tool, GetThere, for $12 million. Serko, a corporate travel management company based in New Zealand, said Monday that it plans to buy it in early 2025 as part of an effort to expand business in North America.
cntraveler.com
28.10.2024 / 19:43
How to Be a Respectful Visitor on US Native Lands
We’ve all seen those forehead-slap-inducing headlines about a negligent tourist doing something downright egregious on Native American homelands. It's easy to scoff, but the reality is that even the most well-intentioned travelers among us can make mistakes—say, inadvertently perpetuating harmful stereotypes or unknowingly trespassing onto protected lands.
skift.com
24.10.2024 / 22:21
Spirit Airlines to Sell Aircraft in Deal Worth $519 Million
Spirit Airlines said Thursday that it entered a commitment to sell 23 Airbus A320s and A321s in a deal valued at approximately $519 million as it looks for ways to shore up its liquidity.
thepointsguy.com
23.10.2024 / 23:35
Hilton Honors now has more than 200 million members — and more ways to earn and redeem points
Hilton hit both an important loyalty milestone and a growth record in the third quarter — further signs the hotel giant is increasingly a formidable competitor against its rival and the world's largest hotel company, Marriott International.
thepointsguy.com
23.10.2024 / 11:53
Biden administration fines American Airlines $50 million, citing 'serious violations' of passenger rights laws
The Biden administration is slapping American Airlines with a record-setting punishment, criticizing the carrier's treatment of passengers who use wheelchairs for mobility devices — and their essential equipment.
nytimes.com
23.10.2024 / 10:51
American Airlines Fined $50 Million for Treatment of Passengers Using Wheelchairs
Saying that American Airlines mistreated disabled air travelers who use wheelchairs, the U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday announced a $50 million fine against the carrier. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called the agency’s penalty the highest ever levied against an airline for violating protections for fliers with disabilities.
skift.com
23.10.2024 / 10:19
American Airlines Fined $50 Million for Disability Rules Violations
The Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that it would fine American Airlines $50 million for “numerous serious violations of the laws” that protect passengers with disabilities.
insider.com
22.10.2024 / 22:05
Skiplagged, the money-saving website that airlines hate, says it's not going anywhere after losing a $9.4 million lawsuit from American
Skiplagged.com said it will still offer customers a way to book a popular travel hack despite a court partly siding with an airline in a lawsuit against the company.
skift.com
21.10.2024 / 23:47
Oman Is the Calm Alternative to the Gulf’s Glitzy Mega-Projects
In the hypergrowth world of the modern Gulf, Oman stands in stark contrast to its neighbors. Dubai in the UAE and Riyadh in Saudi buzz with frenetic energy, driven by an influx of expats and new graduates from Africa and India. But Oman moves to a different rhythm — one of calm deliberation and cultural preservation.