travel business roundtable

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Commerce

• Press Releases

Was this page helpful?

(video) department of commerce, u.s. travel association host roundtable on promoting safe business travel and igniting post-pandemic recovery in the travel and tourism sector, office of public affairs.

Today, March 8, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves hosted a roundtable with industry and labor leaders to promote safe business travel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. They addressed shifting demand as pandemic restrictions ease and more people travel for spring and summer vacations. As businesses return to in-person work, the panel also discussed how to organize large group events and partnerships with business travel. 

“The travel and tourism sector has suffered profoundly from the pandemic. Total output plummeted by nearly half in 2020. Total employment dropped by one-third as 3.2 million direct and indirect travel and tourism jobs were lost,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “Today our economy is recovering strongly thanks to the leadership of President Biden and the resilience of American businesses. The travel and tourism sector—and related industries—are on their way back but lagging.”

Graves added: “The leisure and hospitality industry gained back 179,000 jobs in February but remains 1.5 million jobs below pre-pandemic levels. With this roundtable discussion, the Commerce Department recommits itself to ensuring that our entire travel and tourism sector fully recovers.”

“A complete recovery of the U.S. economy corresponds to the full and even recovery of America’s travel industry,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association . “Working closely with our partners in the federal government will help accelerate this rebound, particularly as businesses in the public and private sector increasingly return to professional travel.”

Graves reiterated the importance of strong partnerships between the government and private sector. The airline and hospitality industries, along with entertainment venues, have large stakes in the success of our tourism economy. Industry leaders highlighted successful steps to boost tourism and a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Local authorities also emphasized the importance of recovery in this sector, especially when it comes tor leisure and hospitality. Tourism is a key component to rebounding economies in cities like New Orleans and San Diego.

“The last two weeks, we’ve been celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans, which has been an incredible opportunity for our community to come together again and celebrate. We know that in New Orleans, while only 25% of the people who visit us annually are there for professional meetings and events, they account for more than 50% of the spend,” said Walt Leger General Counsel and Incoming President and CEO, New Orleans & Company . “It just underscores to me that people are obviously taking advantage of the opportunity to get out and spend time with their families again. But in order to return people to work, stabilize the economy, and get this industry where we really need to be, we’ve got to get business travel and professional meetings re-established.”

“The unique nature of San Diego is that 70% of businesses are small businesses who rely on visitors to come regardless of purpose, whether it’s international travel, leisure, or business, and not having folks back into the workplace also exacerbated that problem,” said Julie Coker, President & CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority .

Labor leaders also encouraged a return to in-person work, while ensuring Americans will have the resources they need to make that transition smoothly.

“One thing about bringing staff back and bringing travel back–it’s really important to recognize that children under the age of five do not have access to the vaccine,” said Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants.  “We need to act on the President’s plan on childcare. We need to have enough childcare for people to actually come back into the offices.”

Deputy Secretary Graves also shared that later this year, the Biden Administration will announce a National Travel and Tourism strategy to focus on adding new workstreams to support diverse tourism experiences and assist in recovery and resiliency.

To watch today’s roundtable in its entirety, please click here .

US Travel Header Utility Menu

• Future of Travel Mobility
• Travel Action Network
• Commission on Seamless & Secure Travel
• Travel Works
• Journey to Clean

Header Utility Social Links

• Follow us on FOLLOW US
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on LinkedIn
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

User account menu

Travel leaders, u.s. department of commerce conduct roundtable on business travel recovery.

U.S. Travel Association, Meetings Mean Business Coalition Co-Chairs join discussion with Deputy Commerce Secretary

PRESS RELEASE March 08, 2022

WASHINGTON -

The U.S. Travel Association today led a delegation of 11 travel industry leaders to the U.S. Department of Commerce for a discussion with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves focused on promoting safe business and professional travel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and opportunities to help the travel and tourism sector fully and evenly recover.

At the meeting, Graves voiced his support for the travel industry, saying the Commerce Department will bring “all tools to the table” to help overcome obstacles that remain to the normal resumption of business travel, both domestically and from abroad.

Discussion topics ranged from the reentry of urban office workers and its correlation to the restart of business travel to the distinctions of professionally produced meetings and events, as well as opportunities to attract global meetings, conventions and exhibitions to the United States.

“We appreciate the focus of our federal partners on rebuilding business and professional travel and their commitment to restoring this sector of the U.S. economy and workforce. The travel industry is seizing every opportunity extended to quickly recover—particularly as business travel, conferences and conventions, and trade events nationwide continue to lag,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Special thanks go to Deputy Secretary Graves for meeting with our industry today and offering the agency’s support, as well as to Secretary Gina Raimondo for her leadership on rebuilding America’s travel economy.”

Total business travel remained at just 47% of 2019 levels in 2021—and group meetings and events were at a meager 36% of 2019 levels. Based on the latest U.S Travel forecast , business travel recovery is not expected until 2024.

Dow was optimistic following today’s roundtable that government and industry can work hand in hand to more quickly restore the travel sector. Said Dow: “A complete recovery of the U.S. economy is directly related to the full and even recovery of America’s travel industry.” He encouraged administration and government officials to send consistent and clear messages to the American public and the world that it is safe to travel again, particularly for vaccinated individuals.

Among policies that U.S. Travel and its Meetings Mean Business Coalition recommends:

• The creation of temporary tax incentives to encourage business travel and spending on entertainment services;
• The creation of a partnership with U.S. destinations and venues to help secure high-value international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE);
• The repeal of the pre-departure testing requirement for all fully vaccinated inbound international arrivals;
• Additional H-2B, J-1 and other temporary work visas available to meet seasonal workforce needs, among others; and
• Restoring visa services and taking steps to modernize the visa process—including by waiving interviews for low-risk renewals, allowing videoconferencing, and/or offering group visa processing.

Attendees to the U.S. Department of Commerce roundtable were:

• Don Graves , Deputy Secretary of Commerce
• Roger Dow , President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association
• Tori Emerson Barnes , Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy, U.S. Travel Association
• Julie Coker , President & CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority
• Christine Duffy , President, Carnival Cruise Line; National Chair, U.S. Travel Association
• Elliott Ferguson , President & CEO, Destination DC
• Susan Fox , Senior Vice President, Government Relations, The Walt Disney Company
• Walt Leger , General Counsel and Incoming President and CEO, New Orleans & Company
• Meghan Ludtke , Managing Director, Regulatory Affairs, American Airlines
• Michael Massari , Chief Sales Officer, Caesars Entertainment; Co-Chair, Meetings Mean Business Coalition
• Sara Nelson , International President of the Association of Flight Attendants
• Martha Sheridan , President & CEO, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau; Co-Chair, Meetings Mean Business Coalition

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for more information.

David James

Vice President, Media Relations

202.218.3658

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Member Portal

The Future of Travel

As hybrid and remote options increase among employers in Massachusetts and globally, businesses are also contemplating real estate needs and office layouts to align with these trends. At the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, we have held countless discussions to share experiences, data and resources, and best practices in responding to and planning for the future of work. Talent is consistently a top concern during these discussions—attracting and retaining talent, developing talent, and diversifying talent. In a recent convening featuring Lisa Wieland, CEO of Massport, talent yet again served as a centerpiece in our conversation; but this time, the focus was on supporting talent for a new type of travel: bleisure .

More and more, Lisa has observed travelers are mixing business travel with pleasure, extending work trips to enjoy a long weekend away.  Even before the recovery began, Lisa focused her team on ensuring this economic engine is delivering a customer experience that aligns with the expectations of the evolving passenger mix. While workers often turn their out-of-office message on while on vacation, bleisure blends business with leisure by taking advantage of flexible hours, remote accessibility, and mobile technology to stay connected to the “virtual” office. In addition to economies reopening, bleisure is another reason Massport attributes to higher rates of travel year-over-year. Among the three airports Massport operates, including Worcester Regional Airport, Hanscom Field, and Logan International Airport, Logan alone served 3.55 million passengers last month, nearly a million more than the previous July yet still 15 percent fewer travelers compared to July 2019.

In an effort to learn more about the new persona of today’s travelers and Massport’s role in the future of travel, Lisa sat down with a dozen Roundtable members to hear directly from employers. Members shared insight on what they are seeing in a rapidly changing work environment as Lisa listened to feedback and shared some of the initiatives underway such as the FlyLogan app that allows you to order food delivered to your gate, purchase Logan Express tickets, and much more.  As with many other areas of change and innovation sparked by the pandemic, this could be an opportune time to rethink the purpose of the airport for business travel as an extension of the office.

The start of our discussion was consistent with findings from the Roundtable’s survey on the Future of Work from May 2022 with the recognition that hybrid work is here to stay. 68% of respondents from our survey plan to use hybrid work models in the “future steady state” while only 26% expect work to be fully or mostly in person. This is a dramatic shift in where and how people work. Employees can work from anywhere and employers are responding with 89-95% are offering remote work across various roles.

Increased remote and hybrid work is dramatically impacting offices and how workplaces are defined. In fact, one member described work as “an activity that drives a specific outcome, not a location.” Our survey found that 36% plan to decrease their office footprint, with many others forfeiting individual workstations for more collaborative meeting space. This meeting space now extends to places like airports. Passengers are increasingly taking virtual meetings and working remotely in airport lounges and terminals, and Massport is taking action to serve this need.

In recent days Logan has opened a new connector between Terminals B and C, which is part of Massport’s strategy to connect all terminals post-security to make connections easier for passengers. In addition to replacing aging infrastructure and installing an interactive exhibit showcasing Massachusetts’ impact on the music industry, The B to C Connector offers flexible seating options (see below) designed to make it easier for passengers to participate in a virtual meeting or wrap up a presentation before boarding a flight. President Joe Biden also joined Massport along with federal, state, and local officials in September to celebrate historic funding for significant infrastructure investments that will transform Terminal E to be an inclusive, world-class welcome for international travelers, students, and visitors of the Commonwealth.

Like most airports, Logan was hard hit by the pandemic; fortunately, it is rebounding with Logan serving thirty one million passengers in FY22. However, business travel, as our members shared, may forever be changed. Business trips are less frequent, and those being taken are longer in duration to make the most out of the time and travel.

The pandemic sparked change in practically all facets of life. As many have adapted to such changes, Massport is adapting to so passengers can use the airport an extension of the office when traveling for both business and leisure.

RECENT POSTS

• Conversations with Business Leaders: Navigating the Challenges Impacting Growth in Massachusetts
• Quarterly Policy Roundup: Q1 2024
• Black History Month: Reflections from Roundtable Staff
• Roundtable Members Discuss Impact of Business on Society
• Quarterly Policy Roundup: Q3 2023
• What We Heard This Summer in Our Roundtable Member Meetings
• Health Equity in Massachusetts and Why it Matters
• Growing MA’s Labor Market: Why Immigrants Should be Part of the Solution
• Massachusetts’ Future of Energy
• Roundtable Members Share Reflections on Workforce Dynamics

• Destinations
• For Agencies

Our goal is to provide the highest quality services to make your clients fall in love with Russia.

Whether you are looking to get the most out of a tight budget or prefer premium luxury when discovering Russia, Olta Travel will be your perfect partner.

Let us make your tour to Russia a memorable experience, so you can enjoy a worry-free journey!

• FROM BIG GROUPS TO INDIVIDUALS: we craft a tailored offer for almost any budget, thanks to our distributed network of trusted partners, direct connections with service providers and our own profound knowledge of destinations in Russia. 
• TOP SERVICE GUARANTEE:  We take care of everything to secure travelers’ satisfaction and are prepared to deal with unexpected issues should they arise.
• COMFORTABLE PRICING:  Olta Travel keeps the cost of discovering Russia at a fair, reasonable level because we love our country and seek to share this love with you.
• NATION-SPECIFIC PROGRAMS : based on our experience working with tourists from all parts of the world, we know how to surprise and amaze your compatriots with Russia.

PRIVACY POLICY ON THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

This Policy of personal data processing (hereinafter - the Policy) applies to all data that "OLTA Travel" Co. Ltd (hereinafter – Olta Travel) receives from the visitors of website http://www.oltatravel.com (hereinafter "the Website") and explains how it is processing, stored and how the confidentiality is ensured.

1. Processing and use of personal data.

1.1. In this Policy, personal information means any information left by users on the Website of Olta Travel, including Name, Surname, company, email address and other contact information, left in the message.

1.2. The person who left personal data on the Website of Olta Travel, consents to their use, namely:

1.2.1. The inclusion of the email address, name, surname, company name or any other contact information left in the message in the contact database of Olta Travel. The database is hosted in a secure cloud-based customer relationship management service Bitrix 24, as well as on a secure service for newsletters – Unisender.

1.2.2. Receiving email newsletters with news, promotions, special offers and other useful materials, but no more than twice a week. The visitor of the Website at any time has the right to unsubscribe from the mailing list of Olta Travel, by clicking on the unsubscribe link located at the bottom of each letter.

1.2.3. Direct communication with the manager of Olta travel on the treatment of the user.

1.2.4. The use of contact information to show relevant advertisements to users in social networks and the Internet.

1.2.5. For other purposes performed with the individual consent of the user.

2. The collection, storage and protection of personal data.

2.1. All personal data collected on the Website is processed, stored and secured in strict accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the Russian Federation (Federal law of the Russian Federation of 27 July 2006 № 152-FL "On personal data") and the European Union (The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679).

2.2. Olta Travel is taking the necessary legal, organizational and technical measures to protect personal information from unlawful or accidental access, copying, distribution of personal information, as well as other unlawful actions in relation to personal data of users, which include:

•     secure transfer and storage of personal data on secure servers;

•     automated processing of personal data;

•     identification of possible threats to the security of personal data;

•     limiting the number of persons having access to personal data;

•     application of measures of internal regulation of the procedure of working with personal data (internal regulations for employees of Olta Travel);

•     improving methods of collection, storage and processing of data.

2.3. All data received on the Website of Olta Travel are transmitted via a secure https Protocol and stored on servers in secure, cloud-based customer relationship management service Bitrix 24, as well as in safe service for creating email newsletters Unisender.

3. User rights and obligations of Olta Travel.

3.1. Upon the request from the user Olta Travel should:

•        confirm the fact and methods of storage and processing of personal data of users;

•        inform about the method of obtaining personal data of the user;

•        explain the legal bases, objectives and timing of the processing of personal data;

•        in case of personal data leakage, inform the user about it;

•        make changes or delete users ' personal data from the database to stop storing and processing it;

•        warn about the expected cross-border transfer of personal data.

3.2. The user has the right to request the deletion of his personal data by sending an e-mail to [email protected] as well as the exclusion from the email-mailing by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" button located in the body of each letter.

4. Conditions of termination of processing and storage of personal data:

•       company liquidation;

•       a written request for withdrawal of consent or exclusion from the database;

•       at the request of the user, if the data were obtained illegally.

5. Olta Travel is not responsible for information posted by a visitor on the third party websites, links to which can be posted on the Website of Olta Travel.

6. More information about the collection, storage and processing of personal data by Olta Travel, the user may get by sending an email to [email protected] .

Language selection

• Français fr

President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand concludes productive visits in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

From: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Yesterday, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board, concluded a series of meetings with key businesses and officials in Chicago and Washington to advance regulatory cooperation as part of Team Canada USA.

May 16, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

While in Chicago, Minister Anand met with cross-border businesses and hosted a roundtable with industry executives from U.S. Fortune 500 companies. Discussions provided input into ways we can help reduce red tape through ongoing efforts to revitalize the Canada – U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC). Minister Anand also met with key industry players, including World Business Chicago to explore ways that we can work together to help support stability and resiliency in trade between businesses in Chicago and Canada.

At these meetings, Minister Anand underscored the importance of supporting economic competitiveness and prosperity for businesses on both sides of the border to support stability for business and reduce cost for consumers across various sectors.

In Washington, Minister Anand hosted a roundtable with over 20 businesses to hear from them about red tape getting in the way of regulatory cooperation and how that discussion can help strengthen the economies of both countries. As the biggest trading partners with over $3.3 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border each day, Minister Anand reiterated the uniqueness of the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S.

Minister Anand also met with her United States counterpart, Shalanda Young, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As Minister Anand reiterated that “business just wants to do business and we need to make it easier for them to get it done,” they discussed the need for continued engagement on regulatory cooperation to enhance cross-border trade and investment. Both sides agreed on the need to identify opportunities for further alignment and cooperation between Canada and the U.S. as Director Young expressed her optimism in cooperation with Canada, “We have shared values. And speaking to, and working with, a country like Canada to demonstrate those shared values makes good practical sense. I’m looking forward to making strategic decisions on this.”

A bilateral meeting was also held between Minister Anand and Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, where they discussed the overall Team Canada USA strategy to continue fostering economic growth for both countries.

To help further remove red tape and address regulatory barriers, Budget 2024 announced the government’s intent to introduce amendments to the Red Tape Reduction Act to broaden the use of regulatory sandboxes across government. The changes will enable innovation by offering limited exemptions to existing legislation and regulations, streamlining the regulatory system, and reforming regulations to modern business realities.

Coming back home to Canada, Minister Anand will redouble our efforts to reduce red tape and to reignite the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council in hopes of saving Canadian businesses billions of dollars and advancing mutual recognition efforts. 

Associated Links

• Canada-United States Relations
• Regulatory Cooperation
• Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council

Myah Tomasi Press Secretary Office of the President of the Treasury Board of Canada [email protected] 343-543-7210

Media Relations Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Telephone: 613-369-9400 Toll-free: 1-855-TBS-9-SCT (1-855-827-9728) Email:  [email protected]

Stay connected

Twitter:  @TBS_Canada Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TBSCanada LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/tbs-sct/

Page details

Update May 10, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Russia Travel Advisory

Travel advisory september 5, 2023, russia - level 4: do not travel.

Updated to remove COVID-specific information and the kidnapping risk indicator as well as updates to security risks.

Do not travel to Russia due to the unpredictable consequences of the  unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces , the potential for  harassment and the singling out of U.S. citizens for detention by Russian government security officials , the  arbitrary enforcement of local law ,  limited flights into and out of Russia , the  Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia , and the possibility of  terrorism .  U.S. citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart immediately.  Exercise increased caution due to  the risk of wrongful detentions.

The U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, due to Russian government limitations on travel for embassy personnel and staffing, and the ongoing suspension of operations, including consular services, at U.S. consulates.

There have been numerous reports of drone attacks, explosions, and fires in areas in Western and Southern Russia, particularly near the Russian border with Ukraine, as well as in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the event of an emergency, U.S. citizens should follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately.

In September 2022, the Russian government mobilized citizens to the armed forces in support of its invasion of Ukraine. Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, subject them to mobilization, prevent their departure from Russia, and/or conscript them. 

U.S. citizens should note that U.S. credit and debit cards no longer work in Russia, and options to electronically transfer funds from the United States are extremely limited due to sanctions imposed on Russian banks. There are reports of cash shortages within Russia.

Commercial flight options are extremely limited and are often unavailable on short notice. If you wish to depart Russia, you should make independent arrangements as soon as possible. The U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens to depart the country and transportation options may suddenly become even more limited. Click  here  for Information for U.S. Citizens Seeking to Depart Russia.

U.S. Embassy personnel are generally not permitted to travel on Russian air carriers due to safety concerns.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded the air safety rating for Russia from Category 1 to Category 2 on April 21, 2022, due to Russia’s Federal Agency for Air Transport noncompliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. aviation operations into, out of, within, or over those areas of the Moscow Flight Information Region (FIR), the Samara FIR (UWWW) and the Rostov-na-Donu (URRV) FIR within 160NM of the boundaries of the Dnipro (UKDV) Flight Information Regions. For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions, and Notices .

The right of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are not consistently protected in Russia. U.S. citizens should avoid all political or social protests and not photograph security personnel at these events. Russian authorities have arrested U.S. citizens who have participated in demonstrations and there are numerous reports Russian nationals have been detained for social media activity. 

Country Summary:

U.S. citizens, including former and current U.S. government and military personnel and private citizens engaged in business who are visiting or residing in Russia, have been interrogated without cause and threatened by Russian officials, and may become victims of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion. 

Russian security services may fail to notify the U.S. Embassy of the detention of a U.S. citizen and unreasonably delay U.S. consular assistance. Russian security services are increasing the arbitrary enforcement of local laws to target foreign and international organizations they consider “undesirable.”

Russian security services have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, singled out U.S. citizens in Russia for detention and harassment, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and convicted them in secret trials or without presenting credible evidence. Furthermore, Russian authorities arbitrarily enforce local laws against U.S. citizen religious workers and have opened questionable criminal investigations against U.S. citizens engaged in religious activity. U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Russia to perform work for or volunteer with non-governmental organizations or religious organizations.

There have been multiple security incidents in southwestern Russia related to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. The Russian government declared martial law in Russia’s regions bordering Ukraine (Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Rostov, Krasnodar) on October 20, 2022. The martial law regime allows the rapid introduction of restrictive measures such as curfew, seizure of private property, restriction of entry/exit and freedom of movement, internment of foreigners, forced relocation of local residents, and restrictions on public gatherings. U.S. citizens should avoid all travel to these areas.

Recent legislation has expanded the ability of Russian authorities to detain, question, and arrest individuals suspected of acting against Russia’s interests, including posts on personal social media accounts, engaging with foreign and international entities, discrediting the Russian state or military, as well as advocating for the rights of LGBTQI+ persons.

Terrorist groups, both transnational and local terrorist organizations, and individuals inspired by extremist ideology continue plotting possible attacks in Russia. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs and systems, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas. Travel to the North Caucasus (including Chechnya and Mt. Elbrus) is prohibited for U.S. government employees and strongly discouraged for U.S. citizens.

The international community, including the United States and Ukraine, does not recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea as well as four other Ukrainian oblasts – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya – that Russia has purported to annex more recently. There is extensive Russian Federation military presence in these areas. Russia staged its further invasion of Ukraine, in part, from occupied Crimea, and Russia is likely to take further military actions in Crimea, and the four other Ukrainian oblasts are the subject of intensive fighting. There are continuing abuses against foreigners and the local population by the occupation authorities in these regions, particularly against those who are seen as challenging Russia’s authority.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv continues to provide consular services to U.S. citizens in Crimea as well as four other Ukrainian oblasts partially occupied by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya, although the ongoing conflict severely restricts the Embassy’s ability to provide services in these areas.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Russia.

If you decide to travel to Russia:

• Familiarize yourself with the information on  what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas .
• Have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .
• Monitor local and international media for breaking events and adjust your contingency plans based on the new information.
• Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
• Visit our website for  Travel to High-Risk Areas .
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Russia.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.

Travel Advisory Levels

Assistance for u.s. citizens, russian federation map, search for travel advisories, external link.

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

Local News | Second Harvest hosting a community roundtable…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)
• Lorain County
• Cuyahoga County
• Opioid Epidemic

Local News | Second Harvest hosting a community roundtable discussion May 22

“Over the past year, we have seen the need for emergency food assistance surpassing the numbers from the height of the (coronavirus) pandemic,” the release said. “The continued high cost of living has affected everyone, but some are impacted more than others.”

This has led Second Harvest to question:

• How can Second Harvest help not only with access to food but also with issues that cause people to be in the position to need assistance like underemployment, transportation and housing?

• How can Second Harvest impact issues at the local, state and federal level to help its neighbors?

• Can Second Harvest get a group of passionate community members to talk about solutions?

“We don’t have the answers,” the release said. “That is why we want to talk with the community about their experience in Lorain County and where we can work together to grow hope.”

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio is the area’s largest hunger-relief organization.

Second Harvest secures and distributes over 12 million pounds of food and grocery products annually and works in partnership with 130-member partner charities and 10+ school districts, including food pantries, hot meal programs, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, senior food delivery and after-school programs.

Before the pandemic, Second Harvest served 88,224 unduplicated individuals.

Since the height of the pandemic, demand for food assistance remains 40% higher than pre-pandemic, with nearly 120,000 people receiving help from Second Harvest directly or from one of Second Harvest’s partner charities in Crawford, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties.

For more information, visit www.secondharvestfoodbank.org.

More in Local News

Local News | Nine graduates earn bachelor of applied science in MEMS at LCCC’s 60th Commencement Ceremony 

Local News | VolunteerConnect aims to link volunteers, nonprofits in Lorain County

Crime and Public Safety | Lorain County Sheriff’s Office arrests man on assault, domestic violence charges

Avon Democratic Club welcomes Connie Schultz

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

Google just gave us a tantalizing glimpse into the future of AI agents

• At the Google I/O conference, CEO Sundar Pichai teased where AI is headed next.
• It's going to be all about agents that are better at reasoning and can act on our behalf.
• What if Google did the searching for you?

What if the Google Assistant was actually … an assistant?

It's a question the company finally started answering Tuesday at the 2024 Google I/O conference, where the search giant fired off AI announcements by the dozen.

With Google and other artificial-intelligence companies making advances in how these systems can ingest images, videos, sound, and text, we're beginning to see how these systems are evolving from smart chatbots to more sophisticated tools that can do more of the hard work.

It's something Google CEO Sundar Pichai is thinking a lot about right now.

"I think about AI agents as intelligent systems that show reasoning planning and memory," Pichai said this week at a roundtable with reporters ahead of the developer show.

"They're able to think multiple steps ahead and work across software and systems, all to get something done on your behalf and, most importantly, with your supervision," he added.

In short: AI agents are what have the best chance at taking this technology from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have.

Project Astra

Pichai said Google was "in the very early days" of developing this but promised we'd see glimpses of "agentic direction" across Google's products at the conference. And there were several, but the big one people will be talking about is Project Astra.

Astra is a vision of what the Google Assistant should have been all along. You can also think of it a smarter version of Google Lens, one that uses real-time computer-vision capabilities to let you ask it questions about what you can see and hear around you.

"We've always wanted to build a universal agent that will be useful in everyday life," Google DeepMind's chief, Demis Hassabis, said. "Imagine agents that can see and hear what we do better, understand the context we're in, and respond quickly in conversation, making the pace and quality of interaction feel much more natural."

Google showed a demo of someone holding their phone up with the camera on and asking the AI voice assistant questions about what it was seeing. For example, they pointed it out the window and asked, "What neighborhood do you think I'm in?" Correctly, it located Google's King's Cross office in London.

Related stories

Hassabis stressed that this demo video was recorded in real time. Google got a lot of blowback in December after a Gemini AI-model demo turned out to be edited , so Google needed to emphasize it could really do this — especially after OpenAI showed off a similar demo on Monday.

If there really is no manipulation here, Astra is certainly impressive, and will probably be the big takeaway of the show. But there are other ways these AI agents will emerge in the nearer term.

Google teased a combination of updates that would soon make its Gemini AI chatbot more capable and proactive. Some of this is being unlocked as Google continues to increase the context window , which is the amount of information a large language model can ingest at a time.

Say you want to know something buried deep in a series of very long documents that you don't want to spend hours sifting through. With a large context window, you could share all the documents with Gemini and then ask questions. The model would then answer quickly based on all the information it just ingested.

Tentacles and tailoring

But it's in its legacy products that Google really has an edge when it comes to enabling agentlike qualities.

With its "tentacles" already in many aspects of our lives, from email to search to maps, Google can synthesize all its knowledge about users and the world around them to not just answer queries but also tailor responses.

"My Gemini should really be different than your Gemini," Sissie Hsiao , the head of Gemini and Google Assistant, said.

Later this year, Gemini will be able to plan your vacation with a much more granular level of detail, Hsiao said. The idea is you'll be able to plug in all your specific demands (you like to hike, you hate it when it's too hot, and you're allergic to shellfish) and Gemini will return a detailed itinerary. Chatbots can already do this type of thing, but, if permitted, Gemini will have access to your flight information, travel confirmations in Gmail, and perhaps your hotel, and can use this to inform its answers.

"An AI assistant should be able to solve complex problems, should be able to take actions for you, and also feel very natural and fluid when you engage with it," Hsiao said.

Much of what agents will do is remove steps and shorten tasks. Google is also thinking about this when it comes to Search , as the company evolves its most precious product to spit out answers made using generative AI .

It's rolling out a version of Gemini built specifically for Search, combining its knowledge of the web with the AI model's multimodal abilities and giant context window.

Liz Reid , Google's head of Search, showed an example of Google Lens being used to take a video of a record player. The user asks Gemini why the arm isn't staying in place. Google responds with exact instructions for that specific turntable.

As ever, Google has some confusing branding to solve: Lens, Assistant, Gemini, Astra. Ultimately, though, a lot of this eventually merges together. On Tuesday, Google gave us clues on what this logical conclusion would look like.

As Reid said, "This is a way for Google to do the searching for you."

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

Watch: What is ChatGPT, and should we be afraid of AI chatbots?

• Main content

• About Us About Us collapsed link
• Law & Policies Law & Policies collapsed link
• Services Services collapsed link
• Procurement Procurement collapsed link
• Facilities Facilities collapsed link

DTMB Careers

• Inclusion and Diversity
• Work Life Balance

DTMB Executives

• Administrative Guide
• Boards and Commissions
• Reports to the Legislature
• State Administrative Board
• IT Policies, Standards & Procedures
• Strategy & Governance

The Administrative Guide to State Government presents what an informed person should know about the major processes of state government .

DTMB has multiple Boards and Commissions for which they have administrative oversight.

DTMB Reports to the Michigan legislature organized by fiscal year

The State Administrative Board has general supervisory control over the administrative activities of all state departments and agencies.

• Committees and Committee Documents

Information technology (IT) Policies document the DTMB's authority to establish Standards and Procedures in the specified areas.

At the heart of the DTMB organization are the fundamental governance elements that define the department's authorities, processes, and procedures

• The Management and Budget Act
• Electronic Recording Commission
• DTMB Strategic Plan
• CMIC Grant Program
• Archives of Michigan
• Cybersecurity
• Maps | Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• ID Mail and Delivery Services
• Mailing Services
• Printing Services
• Real Estate Services
• Records Management Services
• Risk Management
• Shop Surplus!

The Archives of Michigan is responsible for preserving the records of Michigan government and other public institutions. The collections also include documents, maps, photographs and film from private individuals and organizations.

Cybersecurity information for the state of Michigan and resources for the public. Featuring educational and support information for local government, schools and more.

• Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps (MiC3)
• Michigan Cyber Partners
• Michigan Secure
• Cybersecurity Resource Hub

The State of Michigan Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Mapping Site provides access to GIS data, and information across the GIS community in Michigan. 

DTMB Delivery Services provides comprehensive transport services tailored to the needs of each customer as well as ID Mail and moving services.

DTMB Mail and Delivery Services offers a full range of automated and manual mail handling and delivery services. 

Innovative solutions to your state printing needs.

The DTMB Real Estate Division provides real estate and occupancy services for State of Michigan agency needs.

Information and services for local government agencies about managing records and data in the most effective, cost efficient, and legally compliant manner.

• Retention and Disposal Schedules
• Services for Local Governments
• Records Management Guidance
• Records Management Training

The State of Michigan’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) section is responsible for insuring and protecting the people, property, and activities of state government.

• Report a Vehicle Accident Involving State Employees
• Request Insurance
• Other Risk Management Services

Details on state surplus property, auctions, and eligibility for federal surplus programs.

• Project, Program, Portfolio Management Methodology
• Systems Engineering Methodology
• Investment Management Methodology
• SUITE Templates
• EPMO Quarterly Report
• Information Technology (IT) Investment Fund Portfolio Report

Information for state employees and vendors, including hotel listings, travel rates, forms, and regulations.

• Design & Construction Division
• Contract Connect

Design & Construction Information

The Contract Connect website provides info to vendors interested in doing business with the State of Michigan. Contract Connect is managed by State of Michigan Procurement.

• Let's Do Business
• How to Register as a Vendor
• Bid Proposals
• Commodity Codes
• Contract List
• Presentations & Videos
• Programs & Policies
• Community Rehabilitation Organization Committee
• Vendor Innovation Portal
• Vendor Opportunity Dashboard
• Contact State of Michigan Procurement
• Building and Parking Services
• Design and Construction Division
• Law & Policies
• Procurement

Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.

Popular on michigan.gov

• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Civil Rights
• Environment
• Health and Human Services
• Natural Resources
• Secretary of State

How Do I...

• Register to Vote
• Renew My License Plate
• View assistance programs

The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 

• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge

Michigan jobless rate stays constant in April

May 16, 2024

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate remained at 3.9 percent for the third consecutive month during April, according to data released today by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Employment and unemployment in the state both rose over the month, resulting in a workforce increase of 4,000 since March.  

“Michigan’s jobless rate demonstrated little fluctuation during the first four months of 2024, staying at or below 4.0 percent,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for Michigan’s Center for Data and Analytics. “Nonfarm jobs rose by 37,000 since the start of 2024.”

The national jobless rate edged up by 0.1 percentage points to 3.9 percent over the month, matching the state rate in April. Over the year, the U.S. unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points, while Michigan’s rate rose by 0.3 percentage points since April 2023.      

Labor force trends and highlights

• The statewide over-the-month minor workforce gain of 0.1 percent matched the labor force gain seen nationally.
• Over the year, total employment in the state advanced by 1.1 percent, an increase substantially larger than the employment addition in the U.S. (+0.3 percent).
• The April statewide labor force participation rate remained constant at 62.3 percent over the month. Michigan’s employment-population ratio was also stable, staying at 59.9 percent since March.

Detroit metro area unemployment rate remains stable over month

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.8 percent in April. The region’s labor force increased by 2,000 since March.  

The Detroit MSA jobless rate advanced by 0.6 percentage points over the year. Employment rose by 25,000 and unemployment rose by 15,000 since April 2023.

Michigan payroll jobs advance in April

According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 15,000, or 0.3 percent, over the month. Comparable to trends seen last month, employment growth during April was primarily driven by job additions within Michigan’s construction industry.

Industry employment trends and highlights

• Michigan total nonfarm jobs increased for the third consecutive month during April, with employment rising by 37,000, or 0.8 percent, since January.
• The state’s construction and professional and business services sectors recorded the largest numerical job gains this month, with each industry adding 4,000 jobs in April.
• Michigan seasonally adjusted total nonfarm payroll jobs rose by 40,000, or 0.9 percent, over the year.
• The most significant over-the-year numerical industry job gains occurred in the state’s government (+23,000) and private education and health services (+17,000) sectors.
• On a percentage basis, the state’s construction sector saw the most notable industry employment gain over the year (+8.5 percent).

For more detailed information, including data tables,  view the full release .

Media Contact:

Laura Wotruba

[email protected]

517-282-9753

Related News

Dtmb releases summer 2024 job market forecast for michigan teens (ages 16–19), explore genealogy may 10-11 at barbara j. brown family history seminar, michigan regional jobless rates decline in march, state breaks ground on new, state-of-the-art public health and environmental science laboratory, michigan unemployment rate remains stable in march, dtmb hosts roundtable discussion with white house national cyber director harry coker, jr., k-12 schools to promote cybersecurity, michigan regional unemployment rates advance during february, michigan unemployment rate decreases during february, regional michigan unemployment rates increase seasonally in january.

Apple Music reveals more albums on its 100 Best Albums of all-time list: See numbers 80-71

Apple Music released the third installment of its 100 Best Albums of all-time list Wednesday.

The list crossed the quarter mark with Missy Elliot's 1997 album "Supa Dupa Fly" taking the number 75 spot. The list sees its first Spanish language entry with Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Senti" coming in one spot behind "Supa Dupa Fly."

The list was chosen by Apple Music's team of experts, a group of artists, — including  Pharrell Williams  and  Maren Morris  — songwriters, producers, and industry professionals, according to the company. The tech giant s that the list is an "editorial statement" and that the list is a "love letter to the records that have shaped the world we live and listen in," in a Monday press release.

Apple said that it did not factor in streaming statistics when compiling the list.

Here are albums 80-71 on Apple Music's 100 Best Album list:

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

See numbers 90-81: Apple Music reveals more albums on its 100 Best Albums of all-time list

Apple Music's top albums 80-71

• 80: "The Marshall Mathers LP" - Eminem
• 79: "Norman F***ing Rockwell" - Lana Del Rey
• 78: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - Elton John
• 77: "Like a Prayer" - Madonna
• 76: "Un Verano Senti" - Bad Bunny
• 75: "Supa Dupa Fly" - Missy Elliot
• 74: "The Downward Spiral" - Nine Inch Nails
• 73: "Aja" - Steely Dan
• 72: "SOS" - SZA
• 71: "Trans-Europe Express" - Kraftwerk

Numbers 100-91: Apple Music begins its 100 Best Albums countdown. See the first albums that made the cut.

When will Apple Music release 70-61?

Apple Music will release new album rankings every day for the next seven days. Albums 70 to 61 are set to be released Thursday at 12 p.m. ET.

The top ten will be revealed on May 22 with a roundtable discussion between artists Nile Rodgers and Maggie Roger as well as Apple Music's Lowe and Ebro Darden. Apple has a  website  to help fans keep track of the countdown.