Airports Council Welcomes Steps to Restore International Travel

Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada on July 19, released the following statement from ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke in response to the announcement that fully vaccinated United States citizens will be permitted into Canada for non-essential travel beginning Aug. 9.

“Airports in the United States and Canada applaud the Government of Canada’s announcement that it would soon begin to allow fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada for non-essential travel,” Burke said. “This is a very positive step that is critical to the citizens in both countries. Our two countries are closely entwined, and we need to restore travel across the border in order to ensure a robust economic recovery and to allow U.S. and Canadian citizens to see loved ones that have not been seen since the beginning of the pandemic. We are encouraged by this latest step to reopen international travel, and we will continue to work with governments in both countries to make sure airports do their part to keep travelers and airport workers healthy and safe.”

ACI-NA is the primary voice for airports in the United States and Canada, through the Canadian Airports Council. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Mr. Burke wrote the U.S. secretaries of State, Commerce and Transportation in May encouraging the administration to take steps to restore nonessential travel between the two countries.