The U.S. Government Shutdown: Travel Impacts to Know

With a government shutdown now firmly in effect, there are a lot of questions about what this development means for sectors which affect the travel industry and what can be expected in the near future. With the potential for the government to remain closed until a short- or long-term spending plan for Fiscal Year 2026 is reached, we look to industry leadership to shed light on what's potentially to come and share the latest updates.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, a government shutdown costs the U.S. travel economy $1 billion each week. In a letter sent to Congressional leadership prior to the shutdown, Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO, underscored the detrimental impact the government shutdown will have on the travel economy and traveling public.

"The longer a shutdown drags on, the more likely we are to see longer TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, national parks in disrepair and unnecessary delays in modernizing travel infrastructure," Freeman said.

The American Bus Association also outlined some major ripple effects the shutdown is likely to have on the motorcoach and group travel industries, from lost economic activity and job impacts to uncertainty for contracts and permits and disruptions to student travel, security programs, and more.

Some key highlights of current and potential travel disruptions caused by this government shutdown:

• Potential closure of national parks and related functions and facilities. The NPS released a contingency plan indicating that open-air sites will remain open to the public, but buildings that require staffing, such as visitor centers or attractions like the Washington Monument, will be closed. Visitors can expect visitor centers, campgrounds, research facilities, and museums to be closed, and activities such as ranger hikes and educational programs to be canceled. While some smaller parks without entry gates may remain accessible, things like trash and bathrooms may not be maintained. Ahead of the shutdown, nearly 40 former park superintendents sent a letter urging Secretary Burgum to close national parks should a shutdown occur citing damage, vandalism and lack of visitor safety from the previous shutdown.

• Expect institutions that receive federal funding to close to the public, such as The Smithsonian Institution's museums and National Zoo, though the Zoo has made clear that all the animals there and at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, will continue to be fed and cared for at their usual standard of excellence. According to their website, Smithsonian museums, research centers, and the Zoo will remain open through at least Monday, October 6.

• Lack of pay for air traffic controllers and TSA agents, which creates the potential for workers to stop working all together and in turn leading to significant strain on the national airspace system (longer wait times, delays, cancellations, etc.). The training and hiring of new employees has also been halted.

• While passport applications should still be processed during a government shutdown (because of the program being funded through passport fees), it's important to note that this may be affected by a passport office's physical location. The Department of State may reduce passport operations if the passport office is in a building that is run by another federal agency that is shut down. Similar can be said about tourist visa applications.

• As a fee-funded program, people should be able to continue to apply for TSA PreCheck and be enrolled. Alternatively, existing appointments for the Global Entry Enrollment program are likely to be cancelled during the shutdown, as was the case during the 2018-2019 shutdown.

For more information on the government shutdown, click here.

Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.