The NGCOA is pleased to announce that Jay Karen has been appointed to the
U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors. This is the first time the golf industry has been represented on the organization's board; this seat ensures that NGCOA’s industry priorities are included within U.S. Travel’s larger public and national travel policy messages.
Additionally, this appointment is a critical early step in the emerging NGCOA Golf & Travel Initiative, which NGCOA created to address the needs of golf resorts and other golf businesses that rely heavily on the domestic and international traveler.
“Thirty percent of the entire $84B golf economy is touched by travel and tourism,” said Karen. “It’s incumbent upon us to be good citizens with the rest of the travel industry, and to advocate for golf’s needs inside the travel industry.”
The U.S. Travel Association is the country's authority for pro-travel public policy and advocacy work for the travel industry. NGCOA will become involved with U.S. Travel’s advocacy efforts in Washington as it relates not only to golf, but also to increasing international travelers, travel’s $2.5 trillion economic impact, and the 15.8 million Americans employed by the industry. In February 2021, U.S. Travel submitted its updated relief and recovery priorities to Congress; NGCOA supports these priorities as well.