Tourism hit hard by government shutdown: Here's what to know

Financial Impact of Government Shutdown - US Travel estimates the government shutdown costs the travel industry almost $200 million to date [2] - The industry forecasts a loss of $1 billion per week for every week the federal government remains closed [2] - Lodging in the government segment was down 11% by June this year [5] - Convention and conference businesses in DC, Hawaii, and San Diego were down about 25% [6] Disruptions and Uncertainty - Non-essential government travel is canceled, impacting corporate travel [2] - Confusion exists regarding what is open and closed, affecting travel plans [4][9] - Trepidation over travel may lead 60% of those surveyed to cancel or avoid flights [4] - Project delays are occurring due to postponed meetings with federal agencies [7] Industry Concerns - Independent hotels, representing 60% of hotels in the nation (small businesses), are waiting and watching [9] - International travel is down this year, especially from Canada [9] - The extent to which canceled trips will be rescheduled remains uncertain [6][8]