NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The World Cup may be over, but its impact stretched much farther than the stadiums and could reshape American travel for years to come.

Nearly three-quarters of international World Cup visitors traveled beyond their primary destination, ultimately reaching more than 1,000 U.S. counties. Fans who came for soccer also discovered local American restaurants, attractions, neighborhoods and communities, and met the people who call them home.

And Americans loved seeing it happen: 86% said they felt genuine joy watching international visitors experience the U.S., while 81% said it made them feel more proud to be American.

Now comes the bigger question: How does America keep that momentum going?

With the Los Angeles Olympics, Rugby World Cup, Women’s World Cup and Winter Olympics ahead, the U.S. is entering an extraordinary decade of global events. But the opportunity extends well beyond major sporting events: every city and community has something that can draw visitors—and benefit from the spending they bring.

Following a recent White House meeting with travel industry CEOs, the industry has set an ambitious goal: welcome 100 million international visitors annually by 2030 and make the United States the most visited country in the world.

Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association answered some of the most pressing questions related to this topic:

Where did World Cup visitors go beyond the host cities and why was is so important?

Welcoming visitors to the United States and seeing how much they enjoyed everything the country had to offer was truly special. Americans took great pride in watching these travelers discover America from coast to coast.

We had just 11 host cities for games, yet these travelers visited 1,000 different counties across the United States. Seventy-five percent ventured beyond the host cities, exploring the small businesses, attractions, and national parks that make the U.S. special.

The World Cup is something we’re going to remember for a long, long time. The question is: Can we build on that success? We just showcased America to the world. Can we build on that momentum for road travel in the years ahead?

Why did Americans enjoy seeing international visitors experience the U.S.?

We took great pride in watching these travelers have positive experiences and discover some of the things we take for granted, like air conditioning, ice cubes, ranch dressing, and oversized gas stations.

Watching all of that unfold on social media had tremendous PR benefits. The industry could have run an ad campaign, but no matter how much money we spent, it wouldn’t have compared to what these foreign travelers shared on social media.

Seeing visitors discover all these things helped lead 86% of Americans to say they felt a sense of pride in the World Cup and in travelers discovering America.

What does travel and tourism mean for local communities and small businesses?

Knowing that we want to host the world, how do we ensure we have a secure border while also rolling out a big welcome mat for visitors who want to come here, enjoy the country, spend their money, and go home and tell their friends and family to do the same?

We know that, despite the well-known brands in airlines, hotels, and theme parks, the travel industry is built on small businesses. Ninety percent of travel spending takes place at small businesses, including local attractions, museums, and tour operators. That’s what travel is all about.

We saw that throughout the World Cup, as travelers ventured out to experience quintessential Americana. That’s what makes this industry unique. Travel spending is spread throughout the American economy, which is why we want to encourage this momentum going forward.

But it doesn’t happen on its own. If we want more travelers coming to the United States, we need to be intentional about it. Other countries are competing for travelers and adjusting their policies to make themselves more attractive destinations. Meanwhile, in the U.S., we’re allowing misperceptions to take hold and policies that hinder us to remain in place. We need to change that.

How can America turn the World Cup momentum into a lasting travel boom?

We need to make the country more competitive and more aggressive in attracting travelers so we can strengthen our economy, reinforce the pride we all feel, and enhance our safety as these visitors return home and share everything America has to offer.
I think it’s going to take having a strategy in place, and that strategy begins with setting a goal. We recently met with President Trump in the Oval Office to discuss this issue, including how to build on the World Cup and encourage the administration to set a goal of welcoming 100 million travelers to the United States, making the U.S. the world’s most visited destination.

Once we set that goal, we need a strategy to achieve it. That means looking at the barriers standing in our way. For example, visa fees make the U.S. the world’s second-most-expensive country to enter. But why should that money go to the U.S. government rather than into our local economies and businesses?

Those are the kinds of changes we can make when we set a clear goal and put the right strategy in place.

We’d love your support. Please visit USTravel.org to learn more about the issues we’re addressing and how you can get involved.

For more information, visit USTRAVEL.ORG

About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of U.S. Travel Association.

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A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef96da4a-91e7-47f8-bfc5-99cea9bfba5c


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