As global tourism continues to grow, hitting 1.5 billion international tourists in 2019, the marketing firm Brand USA has been charged with drawing in more of those tourists to "the most aspirational destination in the world," CEO Chris Thompson told Cheddar Wednesday.
Last month, Congress renewed its public-private partnership with Brand USA as part of the federal spending bill, ensuring the company will be able to continue its work with the government through the fiscal year 2027.
"Our partnership with the federal government is to grow travel as an export," Thompson said.
The company has partnerships at the local and state level to help market the U.S. as a major travel destination and works with brands "that deliver experiences," like hotel chains, amusement parks, and car rental services.
While political infighting often makes headlines at home, Thompson says these types of issues do not tend to affect tourism numbers.
"The amazing thing about travel and tourism is it really transcends politics," he said. "There are things that might be affecting anyone's opinion of the U.S. at any moment," but he said, visitors from around the world still flock to visit.
The World Tourism Organization reported this week that the U.S. led the world last year in absolute growth of tourism spending with help from the strength of the U.S. dollar.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
Seth Schachner breaks down Zootopia 2’s record-smashing debut, holiday box office trends, early 2026 Oscar contenders, and what’s next for Netflix and WBD.
