As the U.S. faces its first full day with a government that is closed for business, travelers are left wondering just what that means for them.
The most recent shutdown, a 16-day event in October of 2013, and the most costly in the history of the United States, sent the travel industry scrambling. In addition to practical matters, tourism industry officials wondered if the situation would also cause damage to the travel industry, "by the mere perception that travel to and within the U.S. is uncertain."
It's definitely a concern worth re-iterating at a time when international travelers are already more likely to eschew the U.S in favor of other global destinations.
While the 2013 shutdown affected more than 850,000 federal employees, it is too soon to tell just how many workers will be furloughed for this go-round. While no one knows just how much this shutdown will affect America's travel industry, here's what we do know right now:
Air Travel
Most importantly, travelers headed to the airport in the coming days should have little cause for concern. (Unless of course, winter weather conditions continue to ground air operations, but that's another matter altogether.)
According to the Washington Post (h/t Travel + Leisure), only 13 percent of the Department of Homeland Security employees will be affected by the shutdown. In general, air traffic controllers, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and other federally funded airport law enforcement professionals are all considered essential employees, which means they will continue to report for duty as usual.
Passport & Visa Applications
If you're heading abroad in the near future and need to update your documentation, you'll probably be okay.
The State Department has announced "scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at our posts overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits," according to a statement on the State Department website. The site also states, however, that it "will not be regularly updated until full operations resume, with the exception of emergency safety and security information."
If you need passports soon, it's probably best to monitor this situation carefully and not leave your application until the very last minute.
National Parks
During the shutdown of 2013, all properties in the National Park Service-which include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House-were shuttered for the duration.
CNBC reports the closures cost local communities some $500 million in lost visitor spending.
For this lockdown, the Department of the Interior has created a plan to keep the parks operational. The news is not all good, according to Business Insider, which reports that each park will be under "bare bones" staffing, which means limited in-park services.
"Parks will be open this time, and they weren't before," said Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during a press conference. "Let's go down the list. The parks will be open. The way it works is that the parks are open, but the [services] provided by third parties, [things] like the trash won't get picked up."
According to the National Park Service Contingency Plan, issued by the Department of the Interior, "NPS will cease providing visitor services, including restrooms, trash collection, facilities and roads maintenance (including plowing), campground reservation and check-in/check-out services, backcountry and other permits and public information.
On the flip side, a lack of visitor services also means no one operating the entrance booths, which could result in admission-free National Parks for the duration. The San Jose Mercury News reports that visitors to Yosemite National Park early Saturday morning were able to skip the $30 admission fee as no park rangers were staffing the entrance.
"The majority of employees signed a form today and were sent home," said Yosemite Park Ranger Scott Gediman. "The gates are open, but there's no ranger programs, no visitor center ... no trash collection, no restrooms."
Additionally, reports the Mercury News, each national park will post signage stating, "Due to the lapse in federal appropriations, the National Park Service (NPS) is unable to fully staff the properties under its management. It is not feasible to close or otherwise prohibit all access to NPS properties. Park visitors are advised to use extreme caution if choosing to enter NPS property, as NPS personnel will not be available to provide guidance, assistance, maintenance, or emergency response. Any entry onto NPS property during this period of federal government shutdown is at the visitor's sole risk."
An additional, limited benefit, during the shutdown, is that the lack of services inside the national parks could drive more visitors to local establishments, such as eateries, retailers and others, possibly stimulating extra business outside the parks.
Washington D.C. Attractions
While government-funded attractions and museums, including the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, are slated to close down on Monday, they will remain open throughout the weekend. It is not yet known if the zoo will cease its panda cam as it did in 2013.
Cruise Passengers
Cruise passengers should not be noticeably affected by the shutdown, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to have limited operations, which could affect investigations in case of a shipboard outbreak or other health emergencies.
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