July 25, 2025

Newark's Comeback, L.A.'s Wildfire Recovery, and This Summer's Travel Reality

29 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 senior editor Michelle Baran, who conducted interviews over two intense days. She shares her takeaways from powerhouse leaders like Geoff Freeman of the U.S. Travel Association and United's Josh Earnest, plus inspiring destination chiefs who aren't shying away from tough conversations about what it means to welcome the world to America right now.

On this episode you'll learn:

How the "Big Beautiful Bill" cut Brand USA's funding by 80 percent and what that means for American tourism

Why Newark Airport has made a complete 180 and might now be your best bet for New York area flights

The real scope of L.A.'s wildfire damage (hint: it's much smaller than most Americans think)

How destinations are balancing welcoming messaging with current political perceptions

Don't miss these moments:

[02:28] The revelation that Brand USA was only established after 9/11—America wasn't actively marketing itself before then

[12:49] How Wisconsin transformed itself into a year-round destination that impressed this California native

[18:39] Michelle's "therapy session" conversation with Visit Philadelphia's Angela Val about celebrating democracy

[19:04] Why Fort Lauderdale's tourism chief is ready to take on Miami and champion LGBTQ+ travelers

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Head over to View From Afar to hear Michelle's full conversations with these tourism leaders:

Anne Sayers, the Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism, talks about the state as a four-season destination—and the warm hospitality of Wisconsinites.

Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, discusses separating politics from place and D.C.'s record breaking tourism year.

Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California, talks about how sustainable tourism is in California’s DNA.

President and CEO of Choose Chicago, Kristen Reynolds talks about how Chicago celebrates diversity and inclusion (and the Pope, of course).

Stacy Ritter, President and CEO of Visit Lauderdale talks about Greater Fort Lauderdale’s impressive diversity and welcoming mindset.

Josh Earnest, executive vice president of Communications and Advertising for United Airlines, shares Newark's turnaround, the importance of infrastructure investment, and what travelers can expect this summer in the air.

Adam Burke, President and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, talks about the city's wildfire recovery and his dream of having 1 million people employed in the city’s tourism industry.

Bill Hornbuckle, Chair of the U.S. Travel Association’s Board of Directors and President and CEO at MGM Resorts International, emphasizes the importance of government support for the travel industry.

Executive Director of Visit Philadelphia Angela Val on the birthplace of democracy and Philly as a city for everyone.

Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, talks about a decade of exciting events and how the country can make inbound travel easier for international visitors.

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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