USTA Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel

Last week, the United States Travel Association’s Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel published its report outlining “A Vision for a World-Class Travel System in America”.  

Its goal?  

To propose a clear strategy for President Trump’s Administration that would help the United States regain global travel dominance amid an increasing international competition.  

The report is quite compelling, from which LAM LHA has extracted five key recommendations particularly relevant for the AVSEC and passenger facilitation communities.

These are as follows:

1. Enhanced Government Coordination: the Association highlights the need for a more overarching coordination at the Government level. There is currently a lack of solid government leadership in travel policy, and travel-related federal actions are often executed in silos. To temper this, the Report proposes the creation of an interagency task force chaired by the White House to respond to near-term challenges and develop a long(er)-term strategy.  

2. Concurrent Aims—Security and Efficiency: Enhanced security measures should not hinder a seamless travel experience, on the contrary. The Report recommends “a shift in government mindset (…) where travel security and efficiency are viewed as mutually reinforcing, not mutually exclusive.”

3. Increased Investment in Modern Security Technologies: If the U.S. wants to stay competitive, it needs to invest massively in modern security technologies that will improve security and operational efficiency. Over the next five years, the Association recommends increasing funding by $10 billion, which would include:

• $2 billion for Computed Tomography (CT) baggage scanners, software development for automatic detection and alarm resolution technology  

• $1 billion for the procurement of next-gen Advanced Imaging technology  

• $300 million for Credential Authentication Technology (CAT)

4. Upgrading Airport Customs and Border: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) should capitalize on advanced technologies such as biometric screening and artificial intelligence; and initiatives such as Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) should be expanded to further streamline operations.  

5. International Harmonization of Security Standards: The Report recommends that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) work together with international partners to ensure increased harmonization through common technology standards and testing.

Whether or not the Trump Administration chooses to implement the report’s recommendations, the report does offer a comprehensive overview of the key challenges currently facing the U.S. travel industry and delivers a powerful call to action to swiftly identify and implement effective solutions to remain a global travel competitor in the years to come.