Government Shutdown: Bad News for Travel

April 7, 2011

As midnight Friday approaches, so does the reality of a federal government shutdown. For the travel industry, the budget impasse means that, starting Saturday, federally managed sites will be closed: national parks, monuments, forests, etc., including the Smithsonian museums. (See this Washington Post story for details.)

It also means that operators cannot make advance reservations at those destinations.

A federal shutdown also impacts inbound and outbound travel, as visa and passport processing will be delayed.

NTA will continue to monitor the situation. Watch NTA’s Facebook page for updates.

This story in the New York Times describes the ripple effect of a shutdown, including private businesses in national parks.