Hurricane Helene caused an estimated $53 billion in damage and crippled tourism as it ripped through the Southeast in September 2024, but the states affected by the storm are still waiting for Congress to deliver key disaster-relief funding, the U.S. Travel Association says.
Urging Action for Disaster Aid
A letter signed by more than 100 state tourism directors, destination leaders, and small business owners urged lawmakers to move quickly to pass pending legislation and deliver promised aid.
“Too many destinations in too many states are currently waiting on Congress to provide desperately needed relief from disasters that took place months ago,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The holiday season is peak travel season and Main Street businesses are suffering. The time for Congress to act is now.”
Specifically, tourism leaders want lawmakers to approve supplemental funding for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief program and the Economic Adjustment Assistance program to support communities that have seen tourism revenues evaporate in the aftermath of the storm, which caused widespread flooding and devastated many communities that rely on the visitor economy.
“These programs provide funds that can be used for activities that are vital to restoring travel, including grants to businesses, rebuilding travel infrastructure, and destination marketing, which helps inform potential visitors about areas that remain open for business and draws visitors back when appropriate to impacted areas,” the letter noted. “Without these visitors, small travel businesses like ours struggle to meet payroll and basic operating expenses, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of families and employees.”
Tourism officials told congressional leaders from both political parties that the mountain region of North Carolina alone is estimated to have lost $2.1 billion in tourism income this fall.
“Our communities have been strong in the face of widespread devastation, but we cannot continue for long without federal support,” according to the letter. “We ask Congress to pass disaster relief legislation urgently to help our communities recover and avoid further economic damage.”
