The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) supports the travel and tourism economy through its core mission to deliver the world’s leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy by promoting the safe, efficient, sustainable and equitable movement of people and goods. Through these efforts, DOT plays an important role in implementing the Department of Commerce-led whole-of-government strategy to promote our Nation as a premier destination and to foster a travel and tourism sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs and bolsters conservation and sustainability. To guide those efforts and to respond to Congressional direction in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; see Appendix A), DOT has updated the National Travel and Tourism Infrastructure Strategic Plan (NTTISP). The NTTISP sets forth an effective approach to developing and maintaining infrastructure to support travel and tourism and serves as a resource for State and local policymakers.
Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry remains one of the most affected sectors of the U.S. economy. During the height of the pandemic, many economic sectors seemed to be on the verge of collapse, and trends in remote work, e-commerce and automation accelerated. Because the pandemic caused massive disruptions to transportation systems, especially passenger travel, development of travel and tourism policy in 2024 would be incomplete without recognising and addressing the persistent effects of the pandemic. DOT continues to support the post-pandemic recovery of the travel and tourism industry through its strategic investments in our Nation’s transportation infrastructure and workforce.
The NTTISP comprises four long-term strategic goals that DOT aims to achieve, the short-term and longer-term actions the Department will take to realise those goals and the performance indicators the Department will use to gauge its progress. These goals are consistent with the goals identified in the Department of Commerce’s 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy. A summary of the four goals in the NTTISP follows:
Strategic Goals
Improve Collection and Use of Travel and Tourism Data
DOT aims to improve the collection of data specific to travel and tourism such as trip purpose, travel party size and transportation modes used, and will use this data when implementing activities in support of the Department’s travel and tourism goals. In support of this goal, DOT will develop and manage data systems and tools to provide objective, reliable, timely and accessible data to support decision-making, transparency and accountability for travel and tourism policymaking.
Facilitate Travel to and Within the United States
DOT will make long-distance travel and tourism safer and more efficient for visitors travelling to, from and within the United States. Objectives in support of this goal include making the transportation system safer for all; advancing system efficiency, reliability and connectivity; and improving multimodal connectivity.
Ensure Equitable, Inclusive and Accessible Travel and Tourism
DOT will promote multimodal access to travel and tourism destinations while reducing transportation-related disparities and barriers. DOT will use infrastructure investments to spur the travel and tourism industry, including small, underserved, minority and rural businesses. To accomplish this goal, DOT will support the expansion of travel and tourism infrastructure options in underserved rural and urban communities, enable safe and accessible multimodal travel and ensure multimodal accessibility of public transportation facilities, vehicles and rights-of-way for all, including people with disabilities.
Foster Resilient and Sustainable Travel and Tourism
DOT has committed to reducing travel and tourism’s contributions to climate change. DOT has also committed to supporting transportation infrastructure that is resilient to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. DOT will support a sustainable transportation system that protects natural resources and avoids or mitigates transportation’s health and environmental impacts on communities and ecosystems. In support of this goal, DOT aims to substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other air pollutants from transportation sources that support travel and tourism and improve the resilience of at-risk infrastructure.
To realise these goals, DOT will use two important tools. The first is the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted as the IIJA and signed into law by President Biden on 15 November 2021. The BIL makes historic investments in transportation infrastructure with the goals of improving public safety and climate resilience, addressing systemic inequities and creating jobs across the country. The second is the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which President Biden signed into law on 16 August 2022. It provides for the largest climate investment in U.S. history.
These historic investments support transportation infrastructure across the Nation, which will in turn support travel and tourism. Under the BIL, award criteria guiding certain discretionary grant programs have been expanded to include considerations related to travel and tourism. Some of the largest investment programs for each mode include transit grants for fixed guideway capital investment projects, capital investment, state of good repair, station accessibility, and urban, rural and tribal transit infrastructure; the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program; increased funding for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail; airport infrastructure grants; and the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). Other major grant programs that support travel and tourism infrastructure across the United States include the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA), National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega), and Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant programs. In addition, the BIL and IRA provide resources to help reconnect communities, advance sustainable aviation technologies and fuels and further reduce emissions by supporting cleaner transportation options and improving access to electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.
This report consists of two parts, with consideration of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic noted throughout. In the first part, the report presents the NTTISP, its background and basis for its development; the framework for the updated NTTISP, including a summary of other relevant DOT and stakeholder strategies and input from public comments; and concludes with the goals, objectives, and strategies that constitute the strategic plan. The second part of this report surveys information requested by Congress to better understand the Nation’s transportation network and illustrates how DOT is funding and supporting solutions to challenges for long-distance travel and tourism through program and grant activities. The second part proceeds to describe the conditions and performance of the national transportation network and an overview of travel and tourism indicators and issues. It also discusses DOT’s role in supporting the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through infrastructure investments and preparing for the future with an emphasis on climate, sustainability, equity, economic strength and global competitiveness.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) supports the travel and tourism economy through its core mission to deliver the world’s leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy by promoting the safe, efficient, sustainable and equitable movement of people and goods. Through these efforts, DOT plays an important role in implementing the Department of Commerce-led whole-of-government strategy to promote our Nation as a premier destination and to foster a travel and tourism sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs and bolsters conservation and sustainability. To guide those efforts and to respond to Congressional direction in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; see Appendix A), DOT has updated the National Travel and Tourism Infrastructure Strategic Plan (NTTISP). The NTTISP sets forth an effective approach to developing and maintaining infrastructure to support travel and tourism and serves as a resource for State and local policymakers.
Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry remains one of the most affected sectors of the U.S. economy. During the height of the pandemic, many economic sectors seemed to be on the verge of collapse, and trends in remote work, e-commerce and automation accelerated. Because the pandemic caused massive disruptions to transportation systems, especially passenger travel, development of travel and tourism policy in 2024 would be incomplete without recognising and addressing the persistent effects of the pandemic. DOT continues to support the post-pandemic recovery of the travel and tourism industry through its strategic investments in our Nation’s transportation infrastructure and workforce.
The NTTISP comprises four long-term strategic goals that DOT aims to achieve, the short-term and longer-term actions the Department will take to realise those goals and the performance indicators the Department will use to gauge its progress. These goals are consistent with the goals identified in the Department of Commerce’s 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy. A summary of the four goals in the NTTISP follows:
Strategic Goals
Improve Collection and Use of Travel and Tourism Data
DOT aims to improve the collection of data specific to travel and tourism such as trip purpose, travel party size and transportation modes used, and will use this data when implementing activities in support of the Department’s travel and tourism goals. In support of this goal, DOT will develop and manage data systems and tools to provide objective, reliable, timely and accessible data to support decision-making, transparency and accountability for travel and tourism policymaking.
Facilitate Travel to and Within the United States
DOT will make long-distance travel and tourism safer and more efficient for visitors travelling to, from and within the United States. Objectives in support of this goal include making the transportation system safer for all; advancing system efficiency, reliability and connectivity; and improving multimodal connectivity.
Ensure Equitable, Inclusive and Accessible Travel and Tourism
DOT will promote multimodal access to travel and tourism destinations while reducing transportation-related disparities and barriers. DOT will use infrastructure investments to spur the travel and tourism industry, including small, underserved, minority and rural businesses. To accomplish this goal, DOT will support the expansion of travel and tourism infrastructure options in underserved rural and urban communities, enable safe and accessible multimodal travel and ensure multimodal accessibility of public transportation facilities, vehicles and rights-of-way for all, including people with disabilities.
Foster Resilient and Sustainable Travel and Tourism
DOT has committed to reducing travel and tourism’s contributions to climate change. DOT has also committed to supporting transportation infrastructure that is resilient to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. DOT will support a sustainable transportation system that protects natural resources and avoids or mitigates transportation’s health and environmental impacts on communities and ecosystems. In support of this goal, DOT aims to substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other air pollutants from transportation sources that support travel and tourism and improve the resilience of at-risk infrastructure.
To realise these goals, DOT will use two important tools. The first is the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted as the IIJA and signed into law by President Biden on 15 November 2021. The BIL makes historic investments in transportation infrastructure with the goals of improving public safety and climate resilience, addressing systemic inequities and creating jobs across the country. The second is the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which President Biden signed into law on 16 August 2022. It provides for the largest climate investment in U.S. history.
These historic investments support transportation infrastructure across the Nation, which will in turn support travel and tourism. Under the BIL, award criteria guiding certain discretionary grant programs have been expanded to include considerations related to travel and tourism. Some of the largest investment programs for each mode include transit grants for fixed guideway capital investment projects, capital investment, state of good repair, station accessibility, and urban, rural and tribal transit infrastructure; the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program; increased funding for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail; airport infrastructure grants; and the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). Other major grant programs that support travel and tourism infrastructure across the United States include the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA), National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega), and Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant programs. In addition, the BIL and IRA provide resources to help reconnect communities, advance sustainable aviation technologies and fuels and further reduce emissions by supporting cleaner transportation options and improving access to electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.
This report consists of two parts, with consideration of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic noted throughout. In the first part, the report presents the NTTISP, its background and basis for its development; the framework for the updated NTTISP, including a summary of other relevant DOT and stakeholder strategies and input from public comments; and concludes with the goals, objectives, and strategies that constitute the strategic plan. The second part of this report surveys information requested by Congress to better understand the Nation’s transportation network and illustrates how DOT is funding and supporting solutions to challenges for long-distance travel and tourism through program and grant activities. The second part proceeds to describe the conditions and performance of the national transportation network and an overview of travel and tourism indicators and issues. It also discusses DOT’s role in supporting the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through infrastructure investments and preparing for the future with an emphasis on climate, sustainability, equity, economic strength and global competitiveness.
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