How can the U.S. more warmly welcome international travelers? U.S. Travel Association president Geoff Freeman has a few ideas.

In this IPW 2025 episode, recorded live from the conference floor in Chicago, Geoff Freeman sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran to talk about the state of international inbound travel.

As the U.S. travel industry works to recover from a $12 billion loss in international tourism revenue while preparing for America's 250th anniversary, the U.S. Travel Association is encouraging international visitors to book their tickets to come and enjoy a series of major events across the country, including two World Cups and two Olympic Games.

What You’ll Learn

What major events are planned across the country in the next few years

How many trillions of dollars are spent on travel in the U.S.

The importance of making travel to the U.S. easier

The U.S. has competitors when it comes to international travel made easy

Key Moments

[04:20] Major upcoming events include the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the 2026 World Cup, and the 2028 Olympics in L.A. 

[07:25] Travel drives about $2.9 trillion a year in spending, supporting 15 million jobs across the U.S.

[10:59] Travel satisfies a human need for connection.

[12:32] The need for policy-makers to improve travel efficiency in the U.S. 

Featured Topics

The importance of making inbound travel to the U.S. easier

A decade of major events planned to celebrate the country’s 250 birthday

Why U.S. policymakers need to support the travel industry

Resources

Read the transcript of this episode

Visit U.S. Travel Association

Find U.S. Travel Association on Instagram and Facebook IPW 2025 conference information

🇺🇸 America 250 Update: Upcoming events include the FIFA Club World Cup this year, the 2026 World Cup, and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

📊 By the Numbers: Travel drives about $2.9 trillion a year in spending, supporting 15 million jobs across the country. In New York City, international travelers make up 17% of all visitors, but make up 50% of all spending that takes place; for Washington, D.C. that’s 8% and 25%, respectively.

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Explore our other podcasts, Travel Tales, where we share first-person narratives of trips that have changed us, and ⁠⁠Unpacked⁠⁠, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

This IPW 2025 special series was recorded live in Chicago. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media’s podcast network (email [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.

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