AGA chief executive welcomes removal of pre-flight testing

The American Gaming Association has welcomed the announcement that the White House has decided to withdraw a previous mandate that required international travelers to undergo COVID-19 testing. In an address released this week, AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said that Biden’s administration has done well and will, as a result, help boost tourism in the United States.

The commendation comes at a time when others, including MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle, have praised the efforts put down by the White House in an attempt to boost the economy.

As a reminder, all measures were lifted officially on Sunday, June 12, enabling international travelers to no longer need to comply with a pesky pre-flight testing recommendation. In the press release, Miller said:

"The American Gaming Association applauds the White House’s decision to lift the COVID-19 testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States."

Leisure travelers and international business will have a big part to play in the recovery of the American gambling industry and hospitality sector, Miller assured. The country’s industry has weathered the nadir of the pandemic and has been able to gradually return back to normalcy.

Despite staff shortages, most casinos and gambling venues in the United States are continuing on an upward trend with very few stragglers as of the present day. Even then, the United States is likely to see an uptick in international travelers directly linked to gamblers. Miller admitted that the AGA had canvassed for support in removing the measure much earlier, but the present timing worked just as well.

Miller thanked all people involved in the lobbying attempts, including local authorities in Nevada, the White House administration, and not least the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention which played the most substantial part in gauging the virility of the COVID-19 virus and whether the requirement could be waived in the first place.

Miller though is not stopping there. The AGA boss wants to see more being done to encourage tourism to continue on its clear path to recovery. He believes that the State Department could work a little more active when it comes to speeding up international visas and resort to some more innovative measures, such as virtual interviews, example.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that removing the pre-testing requirement will indeed help with tourism in the coming months. The effects of the decision will be felt the strongest in the next two months, Miller says.

Image credit: American Gaming Association