Last month, the United Kingdom dropped a requirement for vaccinated travelers to pass a COVID-19 test before boarding a flight to the country. Travel groups are asking the Biden administration to similarly ease current U.S. rules, saying it would boost international flying.

Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of the travel association, said people are reluctant to book international trips if there is a chance that the could get stranded and unable to return home if they test positive for the virus.

Industry officials also note that airlines saw a bump in bookings after the U.S. eliminated country-specific bans on travel in November, and the predict that the same will happen if the U.S. drops its pre-departure testing requirement.

The testing rule does not apply to flights within the U.S.

Government figures suggest that surges in COVID-19 caused by new variants of the virus have played a bigger role than testing requirements in discouraging travel.

From a low point in April 2020, the number of people traveling to, from or within the United States compared with 2019 rose every month until last August and September, when the delta variant hit.

The recovery resumed briefly, then stalled in December and went backward in January, as the omicron variant pushed U.S. COVID-19 cases to new records.

Separately, leaders of the U.S. Travel Association said that they are talking to members of Congress about tax changes they say would boost business travel.

The group is calling for a tax credit equal to 50% of costs that organizers and sponsors incur for conventions and trade shows. A bill containing the idea has foundered since it was introduced in the House nearly a year ago.

Since the pandemic started, many large conferences have been canceled, moved online, or offer both online and in-person options. Barnes, the travel association official, said event organizers and small businesses need incentives to resume in-person events and business meetings.