ASTA and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) each
said that the Trump administration's revised temporary travel ban appeared to
be clearer than the first one, but the groups said they would monitor the
effects.
The new order imposes a 90-day suspension of entry to the
U.S. for nationals of Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, effective
March 16.
ASTA CEO Zane Kerby said the new executive order seems to be
improved compared to the first with regards to its clarity.
"In late January we asked that the administration ...
expeditiously set clear rules of the road so that travel industry stakeholders
can serve their clients [and] that travel disruptions are kept to a minimum. In
that regard, the process for rolling out this new order appears improved but
again we intend to keep a close eye on these developments as they unfold,"
Kerby said. "Minimizing uncertainty and disruption is important to
allowing the traveling public to maintain confidence in an industry so vital to
our nation's economy."
GBTA executive director Michael McCormick called the ban "an
improvement" over the first version, "as it is narrower in scope and
provides greater clarity about those travelers who would not be subject to the
ban."
The GBTA last month said that $185 million in business
travel bookings had been lost because of the original travel ban.
"The specific exemption for legal permanent residents,
dual nationals and current visa holders will help mitigate confusion for the
international traveling public," he added.
U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow said with the new ban
that the administration missed an opportunity to welcome all legitimate
travelers.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the
administration fully seized the opportunity to differentiate between the
potential security risks targeted by the order and the legitimate business and
leisure visitors from abroad who support 15.1 million American jobs," Dow
said in a statement.
Airline trade organizations steered clear of commenting on
the merits of the new travel ban. But they offered positive reactions regarding
the 10-day lead time the Trump administration wrote into the executive
order.
"We welcome the advanced notice and coordination with
industry before the effective date of the travel restrictions," IATA
spokesman Perry Flint wrote in an email.
Airlines for America expressed a similar sentiment.
"We appreciate the administration's clear guidance on
the scope of the executive order, and establishment of a timeline for
implementation to avoid significant impact to our air travel system and the
customers we serve," spokesman Vaughn Jennings wrote in an email.
The Airports Council International -- North America, which
advocates for U.S. airports, declined to comment directly on the new order,
saying in an email that it is still gathering information on the impact it will
have.