A U.S. Travel Association forecast projects that business travel’s growth cannot be sustained in the long term without federal intervention on several fronts. With many economists and business leaders anticipating a mild recession in 2023, according to the organization, companies may look for ways to limit investment and travel spending, delaying a full recovery in business travel activity. In the face of this slowdown, said U.S. Travel, certain federal policies can help offset these headwinds and spur the recovery of business travel. The organization is calling on Congress to support temporary tax provisions that would encourage companies to restore business travel spending, particularly with regard to spending that supports workers in the food service and entertainment sectors. Further, according to U.S. Travel, the U.S. Department of State should take steps to greatly reduce visitor visa interview wait times — which have crept to over 440 days on average from top source markets — to facilitate more international business travel, particularly as the strength of the US dollar is posing a hurdle to attracting international meetings and events. Geoff Freeman, CEO, said that business travel is coming back slowly, and these policies “will be essential to keeping employees on the road and helping still-recovering companies weather an oncoming recession.”