Visit USA, which has celebrated a successful year of trade and consumer engagements and a growing membership base, is looking forward to an event-filled 2026.
Key Visit USA events this year included the popular Summer Affair, which attracted around 360 trade and media guests to the upmarket Hurlingham Club in London; a Media Marketplace and Awards; autumn agent roadshows in Glasgow and Gatwick which were attended by over 130 enthusiastic agents; and participation in World Travel Market in November.
Encouragingly, membership numbers this year have exceeded 200, just shy of pre-Covid 2019 levels.
“Our member figures are looking really healthy and shows how committed USA suppliers and Destination Marketing Organisations (also known as Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) or tourist boards) are to the UK market” said Kate Kenward, Visit USA CEO.
“I am confident that we will surpass the 215 members mark in 2026, a number we last saw in 2019. Many U.S. based destinations and other partner members have appointed a UK representation company in recent years, which is another affirmation of the UK market’s importance.”
Added Kenward: “Our UK tour operator and travel agent members have reported that the market has ridden the ups and downs of 2025 relatively well and Brand USA say their predicted year end for 2025 arrivals vs 2024 is +1%.
Factors buoying interest in the U.S. include a healthy pound to dollar exchange rate (which reached £1 = $1.37 in July and is £1 = $1.31 at the time of writing).
Transatlantic air services are also expanding. These include Norse flying from London-Gatwick to five U.S. destinations – New York (JFK), Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas and Los Angeles – Icelandair adding Miami to its route network in October (it also flies from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin, to Boston, New York (JFK and Newark), Chicago, Seattle, Denver, Orlando, Washington D.C, Detroit, Minneapolis, Portland (Oregon) and Anchorage.
In addition, United Airlines now flies daily between Edinburgh and Washington D.C.
Starting April 19 2026, British Airways will start a four-times-a-week service from London Heathrow to St. Louis, Missouri. The airline is also expanding its nonstop service from London Heathrow to the Cincinnati region (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport) from five to six times a week. The additional flight begins on March 29, 2026.
In addition, there has also been steady flow of attractive new products coming to market, such as Canyon Spirit’s Rockies to Red Rocks train service, which will be extended to Salt Lake City Red, adding a third day to the luxury journey, from April 21, 2026.
Looking to 2026 there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
“A series of high-profile events next year offer an unparalleled opportunity to all those promoting and selling the USA,” says Kenward.
“The USA will be in the spotlight for much of the year as nine of its cities host the FIFA World Cup 26 matches, states across the country celebrate the nation’s 250th year of Independence and the eight states which have Route 66 running through them put on festivals and events to mark the Mother Road’s 100th birthday.”
She added: “We appreciate it is not easy for agents to come to terms with, and stay on top of, the complexity and diversity of product on offer across the U.S. and grasp how key events like those coming in 2026 present great selling opportunities. That’s why we urge them to keep an eye on our calendar of webinars that run on Tuesdays.
“We hope to see even more agents sign up to these in 2026. Agents should also note that next year we will be travelling to Manchester on 7 October and Bristol on 8 October for our annual Roadshow.
