The inbound travel sector in the U.S. is on a positive trajectory, with strong visitor numbers and positive sentiment among consumers. This was stated by Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA (the national marketing organization of the United States) at the opening of the American tourism trade fair IPW in Los Angeles. The fair has visitors from more than 60 countries. In his last appearance at the IPW in more than a decade, before retiring in the fall of 2024, Thompson gave two key messages of confidence: “The state of our industry is strong, the state of Brand USA is strong. There has been a clear resurgence of enthusiasm for travel, and the U.S. remains the global leader in long-haul travel.” Inbound tourism in the United States is on the rise again. The U.S. welcomed nearly 67 million visitors last year, spending 213 billion U.S. dollars on travel and tourism-related activities in the United States. That’s a 28 percent increase from the previous year. The U.S. expects to welcome around 90 million visitors by 2027, who will spend 279 billion dollars annually. Tourism Economics’ latest forecast shows that nearly 78 million visitors are expected in the U.S. by the end of 2024. International traveler spending between 2023 and 2027 will grow by 74 percent. Thompson was referring to market research conducted in April this year, which was conducted in 14 markets, showing that 60 percent of those surveyed want to take an international trip this year. Top Destination Inbound visits from India have already surpassed 2019 attendance levels. This will also apply to Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in 2025. Recent research by Brand USA shows that the United States is the top destination among international travelers from Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Mexico. The increase in the intention of Chinese visitors to go to the US is remarkable. Brand USA aims to engage consumers in a new way in the global events that will take place in the United States over the next three to four years, such as WorldPride in Washington DC, the 100th anniversary of Route 66, the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Thompson will be succeeded as president and CEO of Brand USA by Fred Dixon, who currently serves as CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions. Photo by Chris Thompson (Photo by Brand USA).
