LOS ANGELES — This was no ordinary press conference for Chris Thompson, president & CEO of Brand USA. His heartfelt speech at this year’s U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2024, which is currently underway in Los Angeles, marked his final press conference ahead of his impending retirement later this month.
“It’s very hard to believe this is my last IPW. I went back to try to count them all and I really can’t, maybe it’s because I’m getting old or the fact that it’s been over 20 years,” said Thompson. “I love this industry, I love this event. This is the one time a year when we bring our entire world of stakeholders to one state, one place to sell the entirety of our destination on one floor.”
Thompson, who announced his retirement in August 2023, has been at the helm of the organization for over a decade, first joining Brand USA on Nov. 1, 2012. His final day will be May 31, 2024, though he will continue to be an advisor to help facilitate a seamless transition with incoming president and CEO Fred Dixon. Dixon will step into the role on July 15, 2024.
“There is a clear resurgence in travel enthusiasm with the United States continuing to lead the world in long-haul travel arrivals,” said Thompson. “And while retiring is bittersweet for me personally, the industry is strong, and Brand USA is well positioned which gives me the confidence to step aside.”
Last year, the country welcomed nearly 67 million visitors who spent US$213 billion on travel and tourism-related activities within the United States, representing a 28% increase over the prior year. Inbound visitation from India has already surpassed 2019 visitation levels, and the following countries are set to do so in 2025: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The USA is set to welcome 90 million visitors who will spend $279 billion annually by 2027, goals outlined in the 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy. The latest forecast by Tourism Economics shows that nearly 78 million visitors are expected to visit the USA by the end of 2024, and spending by international travelers is expected to grow by 74% between 2023 and 2027.
“The state of our industry is strong, and you might ask why do I say that? It’s because the numbers are telling us that, markets are telling us that. And it’s not that we don’t have headwinds and challenges, but the state of Brand USA and where we are today as an organization is in a great position to be able to help lead our industry back to record international visitation,” said Thompson.
The United States remains the world leader in long-haul arrivals, noted Thompson, with 23.5 million travellers arriving from origin markets outside of the Americas. Long-haul visitors are expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2025 and increase to 36.7 billion by 2027.
In addition to connectivity being a key aspect of growing visitation (current projects for 2024 show that scheduled seat capacity should reach 157 million this year, surpassing 2019 levels by 7%), Thompson said that consumer sentiment and their desire to travel are just as important. According to Brand USA’s research, so far in 2024, the number of people planning to take an international trip in the next 12 months has increased compared to last year, and is gradually approaching pre-pandemic levels. A Brand USA survey conducted in 14 markets shows that 60% of respondents are planning an international trip in the coming years, and that the United States maintains its position as the top travel destination, ranking first among likely international travellers in key markets like Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia and Mexico.
“From the desire for that next big adventure, to an increase of on-a-whim travel plans and the surge of sports tourism throughout the United States, we literally can fulfill every travel dream,” said Thompson, noting such high-profile events in the pipeline like World Pride in Washington DC, the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“It’s no secret that post-pandemic traveller behaviour has changed and the things that they are looking for in travel destinations have changed,” he added. “So this past year, we spent a lot of time doing some research to better understand these behavioural shifts so that we can set the USA up for long-term success. Given increased competition from everywhere around the world and the changing travel landscape, this will allow us to maintain our position as the only ‘one-all travel destination’ in the world.”
This year’s U.S. Travel Association’s IPW, the United States’ largest inbound travel trade show, is currently underway in Los Angeles from May 3-7. Show attendance will exceed 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic and is expected to generate more than $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States.
