Benefits of travel are many

This week is National Travel and Tourism Week, which is as good as any time to make your travel plans for the summer and beyond. Why? Because it has a profound impact on the economy, both locally and nationally.

Travel and tourism is one of the largest industries in America. In Alaska, that’s certainly true as well.

According to a state Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development report for 2012-13, tourism in Alaska generated $3.93 billion in spending, and generated $1.32 billion in labor income. More than 39,000 Alaskans are employed thanks to the tourism industry, and local governments benefit as well, since more than $357 million in tax receipts are attributed to the tourism industry alone.

That’s a lot of road projects, infrastructure development and education funding that is derived simply through a robust tourism industry.

Nationally, the travel and tourism industry directly generated $133.9 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments. Without the tax revenue generated by the industry, the average U.S. household tax bill in 2012 alone would have been an additional $1,093, according to U.S. Travel Association research.

Travel and tourism is also about enriching yourself, creating memories and recharging your batteries. Whether it’s a week spent on a sandy beach in Hawaii, a three-day weekend golfing in Arizona, or just an extra day added on to your weekend fishing trip locally, research has shown using earned time off results in increased productivity, stronger dedication and a renewed focus in the workplace.

Yet, we often tell ourselves, “I have too much to do at work to take time off.”

Those unused vacation days add up as well. In fact, the average American worker didn’t use three earned vacation days last year alone. That may not sound like a lot, but the cumulative effect is rather staggering – that’s 429 million days that were earned, yet not used.

In dollars and cents terms, those days could have an enormous impact on the economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, if Americans used all their earned time off, it would generate $160 billion in additional spending and sales, and that doesn’t include the tax revenues generated for local communities as well.

National Travel and Tourism Week is a great time to make your vacation plans, and to use some of the vacation time you’ve already earned. You’ll return refreshed and ready to tackle the pile of work on your desk, which will still be waiting for you, and you’ll be contributing to the economic success of your community. It’s called the “Travel Effect,” and it benefits us all.

Casey Ressler (casey@alaskavisit.com) is the marketing and communications manager at the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau).