How the Government Shutdown is Impacting Travel
by Kerry Tice /The National Park Service said it will begin using funds from collected fees to keep parks open and staffed. Photo: Shutterstock
As the U.S. government enters its sixteenth day of a partial shutdown, some effects are beginning to surface in the travel industry.
Roughly three-quarters of the government has been impacted by the lack of a funding resolution. Here is a listing of the travel-related services that will or will not be affected if the shutdown continues:
• Federal workers that are deemed “essential,” including air traffic controllers and TSA employees, will continue to work, although they will not receive a paycheck until the shutdown ends. Hundreds of TSA officers called out sick from work last week at four or more major airports, according to a report by CNN, leaving many to assume air travel could be disrupted if the shutdown carries on much longer.
According to a statement from P. Daniel Smith, deputy director of the National Park Service, the agency will begin using entrance, camping, parking and other fees that are typically saved for future projects to keep parks open. “After consultation with the Office of the Solicitor at the Department of the Interior, it has been determined that these funds can and should be used to provide immediate assistance and services to highly visited parks during the lapse in appropriations. We are taking this extraordinary step to ensure that parks are protected, and that visitors can continue to access parks with limited basic services.
What advisors and suppliers are saying
Meanwhile, on the front lines, one travel advisor and a tour operator who offers national parks tours reported how the government shutdown was impacting their business.
“I actually have one client who called me last week to price out a vacation for them,” said Steven Gould, president of Goulds Travel in Clearwater, Florida. “We went through an itinerary from Los Angeles down to the Mexican Riviera, and also an all-inclusive package to Aruba. After getting everything situated for them, I called to apply the deposit and they said they had to wait because of the government shutdown affecting their jobs. We’ve been fortunate enough to not notice a huge impact from the shutdown, but it is certainly putting people on edge.”
Paula Twidale, executive vice president of Collette, commented: “The government shutdown takes a toll on tourism in many away. The essential employees that are working are not receiving their normal wages and their families are impacted. There may be access to national parks, but government services are non-existent, which means the natural resources will erode over time.

