New US travel coalition aims to arrest slide in inbound tourism
Concerned trade groups including the U.S. Travel Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the National Restaurant Association and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to help halt a slump in inbound visitation to the US.
Seeking to change the mindset in the White House, the Visit U.S. Coalition wants to work with the Trump administration to show the economic benefits of a strong inbound tourism sector.
The current dip is a ‘hindrance to the President’s economic goals’ and contrasts with several years of robust growth.
"Travel and tourism is our country’s second largest export. We can’t afford to lose ground to other countries," said Katherine Lugar, CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
That has already happened. While global tourism was up, the US saw its market share of that shrink from 13.9% to 11.9% from 2015 to 2017.
The slump is not just about Trump and his policies; the slide began before he entered the Oval Office, with a strong US dollar a deterrent.
However the coalition aims to refine the overall message to ensure a more welcoming atmosphere for prospective visitors, from the rhetoric coming from the government to streamlined, respectful service at border points.
"It’s an opportunity to step forward and move beyond rhetoric," said Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt