While COVID-19 continues to slam us with social distancing restrictions, President Trump discussed his Phase 4 stimulus plan this week. It stipulated that Americans would receive $4,000 vacation credit for US-based airfare, lodging, restaurants, and other travel-related expenses. All of this credit is supposedly part of an estimated $2 trillion stimulus boost.
This credit may apply to artists and musicians touring the United States. Perhaps this could be good news since the entertainment industry took a huge financial hit since quarantine began. Their livelihood came to screeching halt without touring. What this new plan supposedly encourages is for Americans to domestically travel and boost the economy slowly. We could be close to hopping on airplanes, staying in hotels, and enjoying vacations–expenses paid for!
‘Explore America‘ is the proposal’s name. The White House hasn’t released further details, so this is all speculation at the moment. Venue owners may also be able to reopen as vacation hubs for entertainment if travel is incentivized. It seems like we have a lot of promises, but no real estimated arrival times. So far, the claims include economic boosters like infrastructure and manufacturing investments, encouraged travel, and maybe another stimulus check. Though with unemployment at 17.7% and things reopening, we’ll see what happens.
12 million Americans have yet to receive their first stimulus check. Rumors of touring resuming could be as soon as September. Social distancing at outdoor events like drive-in theater shows will be the guinea pigs of this experiment. If we want the world to return to normal, we have to continue to do what we must.