As travel professionals, and their regular clients, we urge that the House and Senate end all restrictions on travel by US citizens and residents to Cuba and that President Bush sign such legislation.

Restoring Cuba as a legal destination for every American will benefit our industry, an important sector of the nations economy which has suffered substantial losses since September 11, 2001. Our industry should be free to join with trade partners like Canada, Mexico and Europe that send nearly two million visitors to Cuba annually.

Two-thirds of Americans, most Cuban-Americans and a large majority of Members of Congress have already indicated their support for ending travel restrictions to Cuba. Freedom of travel is a fundamental constitutional right and an example of personal liberty that we need to share with the Cuban people and others around the world.

People-to-people contact is the best antidote to decades of misunderstanding and mistrust and the basis for building a new mutually beneficial relationship between Americans and Cubans.