b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR2024: Active Summer Travel Season AT THE HELMJOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORP VAvesselmembersarereportingaverypositivethey have heard about independently. We are privileged to businessclimatethissummeracrossnearlyallwelcome these new members, and we are equally thankful passengervesselmarketsegments.Lowerairfares,for your continuing support of PVA. As a result, we can reduced gasoline prices, and stronger economic conditionscontinue to ably represent your interests on Capitol Hill and in2024haveinfluencedexpandeddomestictraveloverbefore the Federal Agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard. the summer. Bank of America, which monitors trends inYour membership support also allows us to develop effective customer debit and credit card use, sees a continuing boomsafety training materials and crew training tools to assist in in overall travel spending thus far in 2024. While financialstrengthening member risk management programs and other experts expected travel to fall off some this year due to lin- key programs such as the PVA Alternate Security Program gering impacts of inflation, this forecast didnt materialize.(ASP), which is approved by the Coast Guard. The PVA ASP According to Bank of America, travel spending increasedallows members to easily and effectively implement far-reach-13.3 percent compared to 2019 levels, suggesting consum- ing vessel and facility security programs cost-effectively.ers appetite for travel has not abated very much. Thats a surprisingly strong showing particularly given the tur- PVA SUMMERbo-charged spending we saw in 2023 after the re-openingMEMBERSHIP BILLING PROGRAMof the economy post-pandemic. This month you will receive an invoice for your 2025 PVA membership dues under the Summer Billing Program. This ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE program was launched by the PVA Board of Directors many NOW INFLUENCING TRAVEL CHOICES years ago to make it convenient for members to pay their As an interesting aside, The Points Guy, an electronic news- dues when their businesses were most active. This month, letter dedicated to travel-related topics and trends, pointsthe PVA Finance Committee recommended, and the PVA out in a recent publication that tools such as ChatGPT areBoard of Directors approved, a balanced operating budget being used by travelers to plan vacations and trips. It men- for PVA for fiscal year 2025. The budget is conservative tions a study by Booking.com which states that 48 percentand funds the necessary programs and staff to keep PVA of families surveyed used artificial intelligence (AI) toolsrunning efficiently. The PVA Board approved a nominal to help organize their trips in 2024. They further reportthree percent increase in membership dues in 2025 and for that major third-party sellers are developing their own AIthe user fee for the PVA Alternate Security Program (ASP). driven tools to assist customers in developing travel and va- These modest increases are necessary for PVA to continue cation itineraries. Though were still at the dawn of howto provide the ever-growing array of member services and AI will influence travel, this may be the year when AI trav- programs that members have come to expect. el planning will become the norm, said The Points Guy.Thank you very much for your continuing support of PVA.THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING PVAPVAs membership continues to grow, and each month weBE A PART OF THE DISCUSSIONare fortunate to welcome new members to our association.An Exciting Fall PVA Region Meeting Line UpMany of these new members have joined because of the en- PVA members from across the country will begin gather-couragement of current PVA members, while others haveing over the next several months for PVAs Region Meet-joined to take advantage of tools, products, or marketingings.Thesemeetingsoffervaluableopportunitiesfor opportunities that are available through membership whichPVA members to connect following their busy operating Continued on page 547 AUGUST 2024'