A number of group tour and travel associations, including the American Bus Association, the United Motorcoach Association, and the International Motorcoach Group, came together this week to urge Congress and the Administration to end the government shutdown immediately and end the harmful economic effects to the U.S. and its tourism industry.

The statement reads:

“On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we urge Congress and the Administration to work together to immediately end the partial government shutdown,” the statement said. “This shutdown is unnecessarily causing harm to the nation’s economy. We recognize that neither side wants to concede to the other, but this prolonged political fight will have negative impacts on the country — and our industries — for months and possibly years to come. Our members are already experiencing hardships and loss of revenue from the shutdown.

“According to data from the U.S. Travel Association, in 2017 travel generated $2.4 trillion for the U.S. economy and supported 15.6 million jobs. Our various tour and travel organizations play a key role in generating that economic impact. Not only are the 800,000 federal workers impacted, but some of the most visited tourist attractions in our nation are closed — including various National Parks, the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo. The National Parks system is already experiencing a maintenance backlog and now the shutdown compromises park services, visitor safety, and maintenance. No business is unaffected by this government shutdown.

“We call on Congress and the Administration to act swiftly to reopen the government to get our fellow Americans back to work and keep our economy growing.”

The other associations supporting the letter included the National Tour Association, the United States Tour Operators Association, the International Inbound Travel Association, Ontario Motor Coach Association, and the Student Youth Travel Association.