The administration is bringing together top names across airlines, hotels and travel services to figure out how to keep the summer surge from fading. A White House official said representatives from American Airlines, Booking Holdings, Caesars Entertainment, Carnival, Hard Rock International, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Raffles & Fairmont and the Venetian are slated to attend. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is expected, along with Geoff Freeman of the U.S. Travel Association.
Also on the list: Andrew Giuliani, who runs the White House's FIFA World Cup task force, and Casey Wasserman, the sports and entertainment executive chairing the Los Angeles Olympics for 2028.
The World Cup put Trump front and center with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and after the final in New Jersey he stepped on stage with Infantino to present Spain's championship trophy. Infantino is now under fire over a scuttled plan tied to FIFA's commercial rights.
"President Trump will meet with members of the U.S. Travel Association to celebrate the accomplishments that produced a historic summer travel season and delivered a strong boost to our local economies and small businesses," said spokeswoman Taylor Rogers.
Officials say they delivered a smoother experience for World Cup travelers by accelerating visa processing, adding more Customs and Border Protection personnel, and making changes to airport screening; in the run-up to the tournament, they also introduced FIFA PASS, allowing ticket holders who required U.S. visas to reserve priority interview appointments.
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The administration has begun deploying the $12.5 billion Congress approved to modernize the air traffic control system by replacing radar, telecommunications and other equipment across thousands of FAA sites.
According to U.S. Travel, June outlays reached $122.1 billion, a 6.2% increase year over year, with the rise linked in part to the height of the summer season and elevated hotel rates in cities hosting matches. Even so, travel prices rose 8.1% year over year in June, while air passenger volumes slipped 1.3%.
International trends were softer. Overseas arrivals dropped 1.8% in June and were 4.3% lower year to date. Fresh figures released Wednesday showed a 7% decline in July from a year earlier, pushing the year-to-date drop to 4.7%. That fell faster than the overall July pullback in air passenger volumes of 2.1%.
Travel officials cite lengthy waits for visa interviews, stricter immigration policies, and worries among certain overseas travelers about coming into the country.
The U.S. Travel Association is pressing Washington to make visiting the U.S. easier and cheaper. The association is pushing back against the $250 Visa Integrity Fee and against expanded social-media screening for certain foreign visitors, warning that extra costs and barriers could curb growth in international travel. Earlier this year, Trump increased fees at major U.S. national parks for international visitors to over triple their prior level.
For travelers and anyone with exposure to airlines, hotels or attractions, the mix of visa policies, airport processing, and that $12.5 billion air traffic control upgrade will influence where people go, what they pay and how long the post World Cup tailwind lasts.
