More than 5,000 tourism professionals convened in Chicago this week for the annual international inbound travel trade show, IPW, which took place June 14-18, at McCormick Place. The event is hosted by the U.S. Travel Association, and is sponsored by Brand USA, the official destination management organization, or DMO, of the United States.
The conference brought together 1,800 international buyers and media representing 64 countries, and included three days of one-on-one appointments, press conferences, city tours, evening networking events and activities across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. It returned to the city for the first time since 2014.
Here are five things we learned at this year’s IPW.
1. Despite a Small Dip in Arrivals, Intent to Travel Remains High
The $2.9 trillion travel industry is truly an economic force within the U.S., supporting some 15 million jobs across the country. To illustrate this enormous impact, take Orlando, Florida, alone: Tourism is the city’s No. 1 economic driver, and 2024 saw a visitor spend of $58.8 billion that generated $92.5 billion in economic impact.
Inbound travel represents the most lucrative segment for the country’s travel, according to Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA, who noted that $700 million is spent in the U.S. every day by international visitors.
So far in 2025, the industry is seeing a dip in arrivals by 0.8% over last year, but Dixon assured attendees that the DMO is “engaged in an unprecedented level of dialogue with every level of government, including the White House.”
“While arrival numbers have fluctuated the past few months, our studies show that intent to visit remains strong and the USA continues to be the most aspirational long-haul destination in the world,” he said.
2. Brand USA Launches “America the Beautiful” Campaign
In addition to the launch of Choose Chicago’s new “Never Done, Never Outdone” marketing campaign, IPW also served as the launchpad for Brand USA’s latest marketing initiative: America the Beautiful.
Unveiled on June 16, Brand USA’s America the Beautiful campaign is “rooted in a simple truth,” Dixon said.
“Visitors don’t just come to see America — they come to feel it, to live it, to connect with our people,” he said. “They come to experience a place whose culture, destinations and experiences are so iconic that they are known in every country across the world.”
Visitors don’t just come to see America — they come to feel it, to live it, to connect with our people.
AmericaTheBeautiful.com is currently live, featuring stories on destinations across the country, and the official campaign rollout will take place in August for international markets. In addition to destination content, visitors will find U.S. visa and entry information, and AI-powered trip ideas and customized itineraries in partnership with Mindtrip.
“America The Beautiful” is our way to showcase the richness and diversity of our destinations, and to meet this moment with unity, creativity and passion,” Dixon said. “With an unprecedented lineup of global events, new attractions and authentic experiences across the country, the next few years will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.”
The 100th anniversary of Route 66 will be a major milestone event in 2026.
Credit: 2025 IPW3. International Connectivity and Airport Renovations Will Bring More Travelers to the U.S.
More than 853,000 nonstop flights via approximately 1,700 routes are bringing visitors into the U.S. via air this year, with several new international routes taking off in 2025.
These include Air France’s new nonstop from Paris to Orlando; Aer Lingus’ flight from Dublin, Ireland to Nashville, Tennessee; Zipair’s flight from Tokyo to Houston, Texas; Copa Airlines’ flight from Panama City, Panama to San Diego, California; Delta’s flight from Seoul to Salt Lake City, Utah; United Airlines’ flight from Adelaide, Australia, to San Francisco; and Alaska Airlines’ flight from Rome to Seattle.
Airport renovations and expansions are also underway this year. Notable projects include Tampa International Airport’s Airside D (the airport’s first airside terminal in nearly 20 years); new gates at New York’s JFK Airport; a new concourse at Washington Dulles and terminal enhancements scheduled for Burbank and Sacramento airports in California.
Chicago’s “O’Hare 21” modernization project will feature a new Global Terminal, an expansion for Terminal 5 and new satellite concourses. Pittsburgh International Airport is in the midst of a $1.57 billion enhancement project, and Texas’ George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Austin-Bergstrom Airport are expanding.
4. Event Travel Will Be Trending in 2026 and Beyond
In 2026, a handful of once-in-a-generation events will bring millions of visitors — and billions of dollars — to the U.S.
Among the most notable include the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be the largest of its kind in history, with games across U.S. host destinations including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, with additional U.S. cities serving as base and training camps. (Brand USA’s Trade website includes 50 pre-planned itineraries highlighting the FIFA destinations).
Next year is also the America 250 celebration, honoring the country’s 250th birthday and the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which spans eight U.S. states, from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.
Looking ahead over the next few years, the U.S. will see the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, the 40th anniversary of Dollywood, the 100th anniversary of Mount Rushmore and the Olympic/Paralympic Games in Los Angeles (in 2028) and the Winter Olympics/Paralympics in Salt Lake City (2034).
“With the eyes of the world turning to the United States, we are aligning our approach to leverage an unprecedented lineup of marquee global moments,” Dixon said.
With the eyes of the world turning to the United States, we are aligning our approach to leverage an unprecedented lineup of marquee global moments.
5. New Hotels and Increased Room Counts Offer Expanded Accommodation Options for Visitors
CoStar Group’s research forecasts a spike in U.S. hotel room supply by 0.8% in 2025-2026, with America reaching 6 million rooms across the country (a growth of about 0.5% over 2024).
Notable openings, renovations and restorations include Waldorf Astoria New York reopening in fall 2025 in New York City and San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado completing the final phase of its renovation. Other openings include The Compton in Bentonville, Arkansas; Okana Resort in Oklahoma City; and Spekboom Lodge at the San Antonio Zoo in Texas, among others.
Next Year's IPW:
The 2026 iteration of IPW will take place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, hosted by Visit Lauderdale, and 2027’s event heads to New Orleans, Louisiana.
