The Silent Years of the U.S. Travel Industry Are Upon Us

At Skift, our job is to pay attention, to connect the dots, even when others can’t or won’t. We’ll keep reporting. We’ll keep listening. Because the story of the travel industry — especially now — isn’t going to tell itself.

We may be entering "The Silent Years" of the U.S. travel industry.

It’s a phrase that’s been resonating with folks in the sector ever since I mentioned it on LinkedIn. And not because it’s poetic — though it might be — but because it feels true. There’s a low hum of unease, a sense that many in the U.S. tourism world, whether at the national level or down to state and local tourism boards, are choosing quiet over visibility.

Not out of strategy, but out of fear.

Fear of becoming a target. Fear of political scrutiny. Fear that any public-facing promotion or spending might trigger a backlash,