International inbound tourism in the U.S. and domestic business travel will not reach pre-Covid levels of 2019 until 2025. That’s according to the U.S. Travel Association. According to the multi-year forecast, which maps travel to and within the U.S. through 2027, inbound tourism this year will reach 98 percent of 2019 levels. In 2023, this was still 84 percent. Elsewhere in the world, recovery is faster. For example, inbound tourism in Spain fully recovered to 2019 levels last year, says the U.S. Travel Association. Turkey reached a level of 109 percent last year and Greece 105 percent of the 2019 level. The UK (94 per cent), Mexico (94 per cent) and France (93 per cent) even outperformed the US last year. The reason for the slow recovery is the global macroeconomic headwinds, the strong dollar and the long waiting times for a visa. According to the report, the U.S. will not achieve a full recovery in traveler numbers until 2025. Tourism spending, adjusted for inflation, will not recover until 2026. The U.S. is still the most sought-after destination for global travelers, but in terms of the number of concrete visitors, the country comes after Spain and France. The U.S. Travel Association wants the U.S. government, like other countries, to invest in more lenient and efficient policies to achieve a globally competitive travel industry, reports Travel Weekly. A destination like Canada does have a national strategy to boost inbound tourism. However, the U.S. ranks high in travel promotion, thanks in part to the work of Brand USA. (Photo Shutterstock).
