U.S. Congress aims to boost sagging tourism by strengthening ties via CUSMA

A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress aimed at strengthening travel and tourism ties between United States, Canada and Mexico.

The USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act was sponsored by a group of Democratic and Republican legislators from the Senate and House of Representatives from Florida, Nevada and Kansas. The sponsors argue that the tourism sector is crucial to the economies of the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

In 2024, U.S. travel and tourism were valued at US$1.3 trillion , supporting 15 million jobs. However, in the last year,  travel and tourism in the United States has been struggling , with declines in international visitors, especially Canadians. The bill aims to ensure a coordinated effort between the three countries to revitalize the tourism industry. The bill’s sponsors also argue that the U.S. should capitalize on America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in July, which are expected to drive domestic U.S. and international travel to historic levels.

The bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative to advocate for the establishment of a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group during the upcoming joint review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, known in Canada as the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement or CUSMA).

“For districts like ours that welcome millions of visitors each year, tourism isn’t just an industry, it’s a driver of jobs and economic growth,” says one of the bill co-sponsors, Vern Buchanan , a veteran Florida Republican congressman. He is also vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and as a senior member of the Trade Subcommittee was instrumental in the first trade agreement.

The proposed new Act, he says, “will ensure travel and tourism are fully represented during the upcoming USMCA joint review and to keep our economy open for business.”

A Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group , established under the agreement, would give travel and tourism a formal place in North American trade discussions alongside other sectors already recognized by CUSMA. It would be co‑chaired by all three countries and composed of officials responsible for travel and tourism policy. Its goals would include enhancing North America’s competitiveness in tourism, increasing exports of travel and tourism services, and supporting job creation and economic growth across the region.

Existing CUSMA groups focus on areas such as labour, environment, automotive rules of origin and other trade disciplines, but do not include a standing group solely for travel and tourism policy and coordination.

The U.S. Travel Association is supporting the bipartisan initiative , with Erik Hansen, senior vice president and head of government relations, saying: “As the United States faces a decline in international visitation, this bipartisan legislation would ensure travel and tourism are prioritized in the upcoming USMCA joint review. Creating a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group will deepen cooperation with Canada and Mexico, strengthen North America’s competitiveness, expand travel exports, and support the millions of American workers and businesses that rely on travel.”

The Act has been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Ways and Means for review. If passed, the bill could dramatically change how the tourism industry is managed across the three countries.

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