On Aug. 5, Christopher Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA, warned members of the Economic Club of Florida that international tourist spending in the United States might not return to pre-coronavirus levels until 2024.
Thompson, appearing at the Governors Club in Tallahassee, said that even with a vaccine for the coronavirus, consumers will need to be confident about their health while traveling and while at the destinations.
“Today’s environment is the worst we’ve ever faced,” Thompson said. “While the rest of the economy is in a recession, the travel industry is in a depression.”
Thompson, who served as chief operating officer and president of Visit Florida a decade ago, said more than 50 percent of the hospitality industry is facing unemployment.
