U.S. travel executives, including representatives from American Airlines, Marriott, Hilton, and Booking Holdings, met with President Donald Trump to discuss strategies for boosting inbound tourism. The industry leaders are advocating for a goal of 100 million international visitors annually by 2030, a 46% increase from 2025 levels and 25% higher than the pre-pandemic peak. This ambitious target is aimed at reclaiming the title of the world's most visited country from France, with U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman emphasizing the potential for an additional $81 billion in spending and 400,000 American jobs.
Despite the industry's optimistic outlook and the World Cup providing a temporary boost in travel spending (up 6.2% year-over-year in June to $122.1 billion), the broader trend shows a decline in international arrivals. Inbound travel fell 5.5% in 2025, with four consecutive months of overseas visitor declines in 2026, even during the World Cup. International travelers cite concerns over costs, politics, and entry policies as deterrents, with Las Vegas and Canadian travel particularly affected. Canadian residents' trips to the U.S. in Q1 2026 were down 10.6% year-over-year, and their spending fell 13.6% to $5 billion.
Industry leaders are pushing for policy changes, highlighting issues such as long visa interview waits, stricter immigration policies, and increased fees like the US$250 Visa Integrity Fee and higher national park costs. While Trump claimed his administration cut visa wait times by 40% ahead of the World Cup and cited efforts to modernize air traffic control, the travel sector views these declining figures as "self-inflicted" problems. Executives hope to leverage the momentum from the World Cup, which demonstrated a balance between security and hospitality, and upcoming events like the 2028 Summer Olympics and 2034 Winter Olympics, to implement lasting policy improvements and reverse the current slump.
