Travel trade non-profit the U.S. Travel Association has hired government consulting firm Eris Group to advocate on Capitol Hill on behalf of issues affecting the travel and tourism industry.
According to lobbying registration documents filed in June, USTA has retained Eris Group in support of U.S. Open Skies policies, the bilateral agreements that establish a free-market environment for the airline industry, allowing international passenger and cargo flights to move between the U.S. and foreign nations without government interference.
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The United States currently maintains Open Skies agreements with about 115 countries.
The travel industry’s top trade association, the USTA — formerly known as the Travel Industry Association of America — represents the destinations, service providers and travel groups that comprise the U.S.’s $2.1 trillion travel, hospitality and tourism industry.
The USTA account will be led by Chris McCannell, an APCO and Ameriprise alum who was previously chief of staff to former Brooklyn/Staten Island Congressman Mike McMahon (D-NY) and Democratic Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), as well as a press secretary to Democratic whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Paul Kanjorkski (D-PA).
Eris Group, formerly known as Bartlett & Bendall, counts Western Union, Nike, PayPal, TransUnion and PCI as clients.
Knob Petroleum, which is based in Panama City, has retained Ballard Partners to explore opportunities in Venezuela.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck has signed to represent Eastern Air Holdings, which operates deportation flights for Immigration & Customs Enforcement.
Ballard Partners has lined up Australia’s Energy Transition Minerals company, an explorer and developer of rare earths minerals opportunities. It touts its Greenland property as having the potential to become the biggest rare earths producer in the western world.
Abbvie has retained Trump-connected Winston-Salem-based Checkmate Government Relations for healthcare matters and issues related to the life sciences sector.
Netflix has retained Bloom Strategic Counsel for regulatory matters regarding its proposed $83B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
