July 25, 2025

From Controversial Pizza to Comeback Stories: America's Most Compelling Cities Right Now

28 minutes

In this special Unpacked bonus episode, we're going behind the scenes of our newView From Afar podcast, which spotlights the people and the ideas shaping the future of travel. Afar editors traveled to the floor of IPW, the annual travel conference organized by the U.S. Travel Association to share the best of America with the rest of the world.

In this episode, we hear from Afar editorial director Billie Cohen, who conducted interviews over two intense days, covering everything from major cities like New York and Boston to more under-the-radar places like St. Louis and Buffalo. What emerged were fascinating themes about welcoming international travelers, the economic realities of tourism, and how destinations are bouncing back from natural disasters faster than you might think.

Billie shares why these conversations left her more excited than ever to explore America—and yes, even try that controversial St. Louis pizza.

On this episode you'll learn:

Why international visitors make up only 20 percent of NYC tourism but contribute 50 percent of tourism spending

How destinations like Asheville and Fort Myers are ready for visitors much sooner after disasters than you'd expect

The creative ways cities are spreading tourism benefits beyond traditional hotspots through neighborhood storytelling

Why St. Louis might be America's most underrated arts destination (with surprising Monets and opera premieres)

Don't miss these moments:

[03:58] The economic reality: Buffalo losing 20% of its Canadian visitors this year

[05:56] Why disaster-hit destinations need visitors for recovery, not just sympathy

[09:26] St. Louis's free cultural offerings that rival DC's Smithsonian museums

[12:38] Billie's skeptical New Yorker take on St. Louis pizza and why she's willing to try it anyway

[15:00] The delicate balance between promoting neighborhoods and over-touristing them

Explore More

Head over to View From Afar to hear Billie's full conversations with these destination leaders who are reshaping how we think about American travel:

Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston, talks about how this most American of cities is celebrating in 2026.

Julie Coker, president and CEO of New York City Tourism and Conventions talks about NYC’s plans for its 400th birthday.

Tamara Pigott, executive director of Visit Fort Myers, shares how she’s transformed southwest Florida into a world-class destination that offers much more than gorgeous beaches.

Carolann Ouellette, President of the Maine Office of Tourism, on how the outdoors is essential to the state’s economy and its communities.

Brad Dean, President and CEO of Explore St. Louis, discusses why he chose the Gateway City over offers from New York and Chicago and how America’s heartland is ready for a renaissance.

Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, talks about Buffalo’s rich architectural and Black history.

Walt Leger, President and CEO of New Orleans & Company talks about the city’s vibe and where to go beyond the French Quarter.

Helen Hill, executive director of Explore Charleston, talks about the importance of showing a city’s true history.

Vic Isley, president and CEO of Explore Asheville, talks about the resilience of people and western North Carolina.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠Travel Tales⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠Airwave Media⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠[email protected]⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

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By AFAR Media

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