As the US government shutdown enters its second month, the American travel sector raises concerns about a catastrophic Thanksgiving season for travelers and businesses alike. Almost 500 organizations, including airlines, hotels, casinos, and convention bureaus, have come together to urge Congress to resolve the deadlock before the holiday rush kicks off.

Air Travel Turmoil Looms as Shutdown Costs Tourism Billions

A group of travel industry leaders, with the US Travel Association at the helm, sent a letter to top lawmakers highlighting how the ongoing shutdown has already cost the national travel economy over $4 billion. Big names like MGM Resorts International, Hilton, Caesars Entertainment, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority signed the letter showing how worried the whole industry is.

They cautioned that if the shutdown drags on, it will put more pressure on federal aviation workers. These employees working without pay have caused staff shortages, longer queues, and flight problems across the country.

Business leaders in the travel industry worry that the uncertainty might decrease travel demand right when millions are getting ready to fly. In the previous year, over 20 million people flew during Thanksgiving week, bringing in billions in revenue that kept jobs and local economies going. With no solution to the shutdown yet, the industry now faces the chance of many cancellations and lost income.

US Travel Boss Warns Half of Americans May Scrap Holiday Trips as Shutdown Deepens

Geoff Freeman, who heads the US Travel Association, warned that travelers are already changing their plans. He said that more than half of Americans might cut back on trips because of the disruption. He asked lawmakers to “do their job” and pass a straightforward spending bill to restore public trust.

Casinos and resort operators, who depend on holiday tourists, are getting ready for a hit. Las Vegas and Atlantic City bosses warned that fewer flights could hurt their busiest time of year. For big entertainment spots like these, Thanksgiving weekend is one of the top-earning periods, attracting gamblers, convention-goers, and tourists from other countries.

At the same time, air traffic controllers and TSA officers keep working without pay, which makes them tired and raises safety concerns. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has joined other industry groups to push Congress to end the shutdown, calling the situation “untenable.”

The political talks are stuck. Senate Democrats do not like the Republican plan to fund the government for a short time. They want any deal to include longer healthcare subsidies. Republicans say they will talk about that after the government opens again.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon. Business leaders say that if nothing happens, it will hurt more than just airports. It will affect hotel workers, people who work in restaurants, and millions of Americans who make a living from travel.