Thanksgiving Chaos Forecasted by Travel Experts Should Govt. Shutdown Persist
Posted on: November 4, 2025, 08:32h.
Last updated on: November 4, 2025, 09:10h.
- The federal government shutdown will wreak havoc on Thanksgiving travel
- That’s according to the US Travel Association, Caesars Entertainment, and MGM Resorts
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is only a little more than three weeks away. Travel experts say the five-day holiday period, typically the busiest travel period in the United States, could be marked with absolute chaos should the federal government’s shutdown continue.
The US Travel Association claims the shutdown has already cost more than $4.8 billion in travel spending since Congress failed to pass a funding bill on October 1 to keep the federal government open. More than a month later, the DC gridlock, with Democrats refusing to budge on a continuing resolution unless Republicans agree to extend Obamacare tax credits, endures.
The US Travel Association, joined by nearly 500 organizations and companies representing every sector of the travel and hospitality industries, is warning Congress that a shutdown over Thanksgiving will cause chaos and lead to billions of additional dollars in lost economic activity.
Thanksgiving should be about spending time with family, not worrying about flight disruptions or canceled plans,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the US Travel Association.
“The damage from this shutdown is growing by the hour, with 60% of Americans reconsidering their travel plans. Congress needs to do its job. The fastest way to restore confidence and restart travel is to reopen the government by passing a clean continuing resolution,” Freeman, the former head of the American Gaming Association, added.
The letter, dated November 3, was addressed to US Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Suppressed Travel Outlook
Las Vegas tourism is down in 2025. Through September, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA), among the signatories of the US Travel Association letter to Congress, reports that visitor volume is lower by 7.9%.
The LVCVA says about 2.5 million fewer visitors have ventured to Las Vegas this year. While gaming revenue is flat in Las Vegas compared with the prior year, casinos are reporting worse financial outcomes on lower room, food and beverage, and entertainment sales.
With the government shutdown beginning in October, the odds aren’t good that the LVCVA data will show a rebound when its October summary is released.
“A shutdown places extraordinary strain on federal personnel who are essential to keeping America moving, from Transportation Security Administration officers to air traffic controllers, who are forced to work without pay. When staffing shortages worsen, airport wait times grow longer and flight delays and cancellations become more frequent, threatening to derail family travel plans across the country,” the US Travel Association letter to the congressional leaders read.
Functioning Government
Freeman concluded his plea by telling Congress that the “American people expect and deserve a fully functioning government during the peak holiday travel season.” Along with travel disruptions, the continued shutdown is placing unneeded financial burdens on “families, workers, businesses, and communities in every part of the country.”
Along with the LVCVA, other signers of the US Travel Association letter included Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, The Venetian Casino Resort, and the American Gaming Association.
No comments yet