b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORAn Active Fall for AdvocacyAT THE HELMand PVA MeetingsJOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORM embersofthePassengerVesselAssociationNonetheless, concerns about increasing costs and longer (PVA) in many U.S. markets are beginning towait times for visa applications for international visitors wind down operations in keeping with the ap- still loom and the jury is still out about the effect that this proaching cool weather and waning tourism seasons. Sever- will have on international travel to the U.S. as a whole. al more weeks of fall travel is still expected though in some of the northern climes as tourists, who many refer to as leafNo matter the time of year, PVAs advocacy efforts carry peepers, take to the roads, rails, and waterways to view theon, and the association aggressively represents the broad expected changing foliage before the onset of winter weath- and diverse interests of the passenger vessel industry in the er. Of course, those PVA passenger vessel operators locatednationscapital.Theseinitiativesservetosafeguardthe in warmer zip codes and those running year-round passen- interests of both PVA vessel and associate members and in-ger ferry vessels will continue their activities as always. clude contacts, communications, and exchanges with Con-gress, the Executive Branch, and the U.S. Coast Guard.As PVA members reflect on the past 2025 travel and tourism season, most will look back on positive business seasons as a whole. For those who will continue to operate into the new year, there is optimism for an active holiday season and pos-itive expectations for numerous private celebratory charters.Looking forward, travel experts predict growth and sta-bility for the domestic U.S. travel market despite the un-predictability of short-term in-bound international visitor behavior. In fact, current estimates forecast domestic travel spending to surpass three trillion dollars by 2034. This is expected to create more than 20 million jobs in the U.S.2025 PVA President Steve Jones and RADM Wayne Arguin over that same period of time. during the fall PVA/Coast Guard Quality Partnership Meeting.The U.S. Travel Association, a respected assessor of tour-ism performance, is also optimistically projecting growthPVA/U.S. COAST GUARDin the domestic U.S. travel market and expects domesticQUALITY PARTNERSHIP MEETINGtravelers to spend more in 2026 on leisure and businessAn excellent example of the solid professional relationship travelwithintheU.S.Ashasbeenpreviouslyreported,that exists between PVA and the Coast Guard is the PVA/U.S.TravelestimatedthattravelspendingintheU.S.Coast Quality Partnership Meeting, or QP. These meet-would grow by 3.9 percent, or $1.35 trillion, in 2025 andings, which generally occur twice a year, exemplify how an additional $1.45 trillion by 2028. government and industry can work together proactively to improve maritime safety and sustainability.Whileinternationaltouristarrivalsweredownsignifi-cantly in 2025 for a variety of visible reasons, U.S. TravelThe QP meeting provides an extremely valuable forum believes that this important, and valuable, travel segmentwherein leaders from our two organizations gather to solve will also make a rebound in 2026. They currently antici- problemsinanon-regulatoryenvironment.Veryoften pate a 10 percent increase or 85 million in-bound travelers.joint PVA and Coast Guard working groups are formed Continued on page 567 SEPTEMBER 2025'