Brand USA unveiled details of a new global tourism campaign at IPW in Chicago this week.
Lunching in the UK in August, America the Beautiful is the marketing organisation’s latest initiative to showcase the best of the U.S. and drive international inbound travel in 2025 and beyond.
“There’s never been a better time to explore the beauty and energy of the USA, which continues to be the world’s most aspirational long-haul travel destination,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA.
“With this campaign, a storytelling platform that will give the world a fresh lens through which to see the U.S., we’re sending a clear message: the USA is open for business and ready to welcome legitimate international travellers. We’re confident this effort will spark renewed interest and deepen connections with audiences around the world.”
“Visitors come to do more than see America. They come to feel it, to connect with our people, explore our landscapes, and experience our stories. America the Beautiful gives us a new way to tell those stories and invite the world to be part of them.”
Dixon said the America the Beautiful campaign, which is supported by with a new website: americathebeautiful.com, is a “rallying cry” for the U.S.’s travel industry at a time when concerns are growing that a combination pf political, global and economic factors will see a marked downturn in visitors.
According to Tourism Economics, international arrivals to the U.S. are expected to decline by 8.7% in 2025, which would result in a $8.5 billion decrease in international visitor spending
But Dixon outlined a more positive picture: for the 2024 financial year, Brand USA’s marketing efforts generated 1.6 million incremental international visitors, nearly $6 billion in additional visitor spending and supported close to 80,000 American jobs.
And this year, international air connectivity to the U.S. continues to expand, with more than 853,000 non-stop flights across 1,683 routes connecting 249 cities in 262 airports around the world to 84 U.S. airports in 74 cities.
The America the Beautiful campaign is launched against the backdrop of Brand USA facing threats to its funding: The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee is proposing to cut its annual budget by 80%,from the current $100 million to $20 million, and there fears over its very existence.
Dixon said Brand USA was “engaged in dialogue with the White House,” but gave no further details.
Industry figures at IPW said that such a significant budget cut would seriously impact on the country’s marketing plans as it gets ready to host a series of major sporting events. These include the 2026 World Cup (in multiple cities) America250 (with celebrations in several states marking the country’s semi-quincentennial), 2028 Olympics (Los Angeles) and the 2034 Winter Olympic Games (Salt Lake City).
At an IPW lunch, Geoff Freeman President and CEO of the US Travel Association, said there needed to be a stronger message that the U.S. is still a welcoming country.
“The world is watching us; we must perform. For the next few years we are staring down a rare opportunity to showcase what we have to international travellers… but we must speak with truth, clarity and confidence.
“In some parts of the world there is a perception that the U.S. is not welcoming… and that is why all of us at local, state and federal level must work together to show that America wants you (visitors) and that we are ready to prove it.”
