Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Washington, D.C. – December 5, 2012 – Workers who begin their careers in travel achieve higher wages, have greater access to educational opportunities and enjoy better career progression, according to a first-of-its-kind study of more than 30 years of longitudinal data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and analyzed by Oxford Economics and the U.S. Travel Association. “The data is conclusive: workers whose first job is in the travel industry progress further in their careers than individuals who get their start in other industries, and travel industry work experience helps Americans earn higher wages and attain an education,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Travel jobs provide important, transferable skills that are indispensable to career success, and careers in travel deliver financial security with the majority of travel industry workers earning a middle-class income or higher.” Titled “Fast Forward: Travel Creates Opportunities and Launches Careers,” the report presents case studies and summarizes BLS labor force data on how travel jobs benefit workers and how careers in the industry progress over time compared to workers who began in other industries. (BLS has tracked more than 5,000 workers, interviewing them every year between 1979 and 1994, and every two years between 1994 and 2010.) Key findings include:
- Earning Higher Wages: The average maximum salary for employees who start their career in the travel industry reaches $81,900 – significantly more than other industries.
- Promoting Educational Opportunities: One-third of the 5.6 million Americans who are employed part time to support themselves while they further their education work in the travel industry. Among workers who began their careers in the travel industry, 33 percent earned at least a bachelor’s degree.
- Building the Middle Class: The travel industry is one of the top 10 largest employers of middle-class wage earners in the U.S. More than half of all travel industry employees (53 percent) earn a middle-class salary or higher.
- Leading to Rewarding Careers: Employees who work in travel jobs build valuable skills that can translate into rewarding careers, both in travel and other industries. Two out of five workers who start their careers in the travel industry go on to earn more than $100,000 per year.
“In recent years, the travel industry has quietly emerged as one of America’s leading drivers of growth and job creation,” said David Huether, senior vice president for research and economics at U.S. Travel. “Every dollar spent on travel has a ripple effect benefitting other sectors of the economy. In fact, the travel industry injects $1.9 trillion into the U.S. economy and supports 14.4 million jobs.” The full report is available at: www.ustravel.org/jobs.
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $1.9 trillion in economic output and supports 14.4 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit www.ustravel.org. Follow us on Twitter @ustravel Contact: Cathy Keefe (202) 408-2183[email protected] Also See: U.S. Travel Industry to Add Nearly 100,000 Jobs by 2013 According to U.S. Travel Association Projections; Domestic Leisure Travel to Increase to Record High for 2013 / November 2012 Chris Thompson Selected as President and CEO of Brand USA / September 2012 Travel Exports Rise in July as Other Exports Fall; Travel Responsible for 12% of U.S. Export Gains for 2012 / September 2012 Travel Industry Continues to Put Americans Back to Work; Job Creation Outpaces Rest of Economy by Nearly 30% / September 2012 U.S. Travel Association Honors Tourism Marketing Organizations with Awards at Annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO); Diane Shober Named 2012 State Tourism Director of the Year / August 2012 U.S. Travel Association Transitions its Marketing Outlook Forum to Travel and Tourism Research Association; TTRA to Launch Global Travel Outlook Conference October 25-26 in Chicago / August 2012 Travel Industry Plays Key Role at Republican National Convention; Event Provides Perfect Opportunity to Advance the 2012 Vote Travel Campaign / August 2012 U.S. Travel Industry Continues to Help Drive Country’s Economic Recovery; On Pace for Another Record-Setting Year with an 11% Increase Over 2011 / August 2012 Travel Industry Creating Jobs 26% Faster Than Rest of Economy / July 2012 Top Destination Leaders Gather for Inaugural Destination CEO Roundtable Hosted by the U.S. Travel Association / June 2012 Labor Union and Travel Industry Leaders Unite to Oppose Proposed San Mateo, California County Travel Taxes; Warn that Tax Hikes will Negatively Impact Local Economy / June 2012 Congressional Hearing Highlights U.S. Travel Industry as Key to Future Economic Growth / May 2012 An Open Letter to the Industry on the Preservation of Government Conferences / Roger Dow, President, U.S. Travel Association / May 2012 Travel Industry Continues as One of the Prime Drivers of U.S. Economic Recovery; Travel-Generated Employment Adds 48,700 Jobs in Q1 2012, Contributing 6.1% of all Non-Farm Jobs Added During the Same Period / May 2012 Survey Shows Proposed San Mateo County, California Tax Hike will Discourage Travel to the San Francisco Bay Area, Severely Affecting Local Economy; Travel Industry Urges Local Residents to Vote No on Measures T, U and X / May 2012 Travelhorizons Report Offers New Insight on US Travel; While Recovery Continues for Business Travel Intentions, Americans Remain Tentative about Near-Term Leisure Travel Plans / April 2012 U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Testifies in Support of Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act; Urges Expansion of Visa Waiver Program to Simplify Process for Visitors to the U.S. without Compromising Security / March 2012 Rossi Ralenkotter, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Calls for National Agenda to Strengthen Meetings Industry; Commences Term as Chair of the U.S. Travel Association / March 2012 Travel Employment Outpaces Rest of U.S. Economy by 34%; More than Half of the Travel Industry Jobs Lost During Recession Have Been Recovered / March 2012 U.S. Travel Association Launches 2012 Vote Travel Campaign; Plans to have a Significant Presence at the Upcoming Political Party Conventions and Host Nationwide Rallies and Events to Raise Travel Industry Profile / January 2012 U.S. Travel Association Analysis Shows Travel Employment Rebound in December with the Travel Industry Creating Jobs at a Faster Rate than the Rest of the Economy / January 2012 U.S. Travel Association Issues Statement on President Obama’s Jobs Speech / September 2011 U.S. Travel Association Discusses Impact of 9/11 on Travel Industry; Releases Principles for Building a More Secure and Efficient U.S. Travel System / August 2011 Analysis of Labor Department Report Shows that the Travel Industry Accounts for More than 1 in 10 Jobs Created in 2011; Travel Jobs Continue to Increase for Eighth Consecutive Month / August 2011 U.S. Travel Association Releases Comprehensive Analysis Proving Tourism Promotion Campaigns Increase Visitation Resulting in More Jobs, State and Local Tax Revenue / July 2011 U.S. Travel Association Releases New Research Results Showing 49% of Travelers Alter Plans Due to High Travel Taxes; Launches Travel Tax Institute / April 2011 Roger Dow, President & CEO of the US Travel Association, Awarded the Spirit of Hospitality Award at Destination & Travel Foundation Dinner / February 2011