b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORStrong Forecast AT THE HELMfor Summer 2024 Travel JOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORA ccording to travel industry experts, the U.S. travelThis trend is clearly growing among the traveling public industry at-large is experiencing a significant long- and cannot be ignored in industry marketing and prod-term resurgence in activity and expectations areuct development. The PVA Green WATERS Program is at an all-time high for a particularly strong summer travelan available tool to assist PVA members in implementing season. Following several years of steady recovery since thegreen, environmentally responsible practices aboard their global pandemic, the travel sector is not only bouncingvessels and in their businesses. This important program can back, but is experiencing somebe accessed via the mem-significant changes. Emergingber resources section on trendsandshiftingconsumerTravel experts are signalingthe PVA website. priorities are redefining travelthat travelers are increasingly whichseemstobeforeshad- seeking out eco-friendlyThere is no question that owing a future where travelingconsumers will continue and travelers appear to demandactivities and destinations to demand more person-morecustomizationandcre- which emphasize sustainability.alizedanddistinctive ativitythaneverbefore.Asaexperiences as they trav-result, operators must be awareThis trend is clearly growingel. U.S. passenger vessel ofthesetrendsandtheasso- among the traveling operatorsareuniquely ciatednewexpectationsforpositionedtoimmerse productsandservicesandbepublic and cannot be ignored travelers in local culture, flexible in meeting the evolvingin industry marketing. cuisine, and community. demands of their customers. Consumerscanexpect all these meaningful ex-At the same time, travel experts are also forecasting a sig- periences and more aboard a PVA member passenger vessel nificant increase in domestic travel this summer season.this summer in every major port in the nation.To underscore this point, a recent survey conducted by NerdWallet showed that 45 percent of Americans plan toFALL PVA 2024 REGION MEETINGStake a trip that requires a flight or a hotel stay this sum- It is never too early to begin thinking about attending a PVA mer, with an average expenditure of $3,594 each or $424Region Meeting. Dates, locations, and hotels have been se-billion total. In addition, various news organizations havelected for an exciting line-up of fall 2024 PVA Region Meet-reported that U.S. airlines are expecting a record numberings. Each PVA Region Meeting will offer you a wealth of of air passengers this summer. Washington D.C.-basedvaluableinformationthatistailor-madeforallwhoare Airlines for America forecast in May that U.S. airlinesinvolved in the passenger vessel industry. When you attend, will carry approximately 271 million passengers this sum- you can expect programming that covers the latest infor-mer, a 6.3 percent increase over 2023. mation on passenger vessel operations, U.S. Coast Guard trends, regulatory issues, legislative topics, innovative mar-Interestingly, consumer interest in sustainable travel is alsoketing,andotherindustry-relatedmatters.Whetheryou reportedly growing in popularity. Travel experts are signal- are a passenger vessel operator or if you provide products or ing that travelers are increasingly seeking out eco-friendlyservices to the passenger vessel industry there is something activities and destinations which emphasize sustainability.for you at each of these regionally oriented gatherings.Continued on page 497 JUNE 2024'