The tourism body promoting the United States to international travellers has high hopes for the country’s tourism trade.
Participants in Brand USA’s Nov. 18 board of directors meeting were told that the country is expected to host 73 million people this year, while 2025’s figure will reach 83.3 million.
The U.S. Department of Commerce figures also predict that international visitations will reach 90.6 million in 2026 and 94.5 million in 2027.
Sporting events are expected to help fuel the growth, with the USA hosting such sporting extravaganzas as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup soccer tournament and Ryder Cup golf competition in the coming decade.
Air capacity to the United States is now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, those watching the meeting heard.
The rosy outlook is welcome news to Brand USA, which wants the United States to be the “preferred global travel destination.”
There are predictions in some quarters, however, that some international travellers may resist visiting the United States as a way of showing their disapproval of the policies of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
International travel to the United States in the January-August period of this year was up 10%, reaching 48 million, 90% of the number in the same period in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. Canadian visitations during the first 8 months of this year were 14.1 million.
Brand USA has decided on an ad campaign called A Somewhere for Everyone, which touts America’s diversity.
Meanwhile, U.S. tourism authorities are eying both sides of this country, with a Canada Connect East marketplace — highlighting what the United States offers tourists — slated for April and Canada Connect West planned for May. The host cities for the events weren’t named Monday.
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