US Seeks 100 Million International Visitors by 2030: Trump Discusses Plan With Tourism Giants
- President Trump met executives from Hilton, Marriott, American Airlines and other major brands at the White House on Wednesday, September 2, 2026
- The U.S. Travel Association set an ambitious target of 100 million international visitors annually by 2030, promising $81 billion in additional spending
- Industry leaders raised sharp concerns about the Visa Bond Program, which has been linked to an 80 per cent drop in arrivals from 50 affected countries
PAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
President Donald Trump gathered senior executives from some of the world's most recognisable travel and hospitality brands at the White House on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to map out a path for reversing a prolonged slump in international tourism to the United States.
Representatives from Hilton, Marriott, Booking.com, American Airlines, and Carnival were among those who attended the high-level discussions, which came as the industry wrestled with sluggish overseas arrivals even after a temporary boost from the FIFA World Cup.
Source: Getty Images
US sets ambitious 100 million visitor goal
In the wake of the meeting, the U.S. Travel Association announced a target to draw 100 million international visitors to the country each year by 2030.
According to a report by Visas News, the organisation's president and chief executive, Geoff Freeman, framed the goal as an opportunity for the United States to overtake France and become the world's most visited nation.
The body estimates that crossing the 100-million threshold would inject an additional $81 billion into the American economy and support more than 400,000 jobs.
The scale of the ambition is underscored by the distance still to travel. Data from the National Travel and Tourism Office shows the US received 68.3 million foreign visitors in 2025.
Official projections for 2026 stand at 70.5 million, rising to roughly 85.2 million by 2030, both well below the industry's revised benchmark.
Arrivals from countries outside Canada and Mexico were down 4.7 per cent during the first seven months of 2026.
Donald Trump pointed to steps his administration had already taken to ease travel, including a 40 per cent reduction in visa processing wait times.
The White House also highlighted a $12.5 billion commitment to modernise air traffic control infrastructure, with Transport Secretary Sean Duffy signalling further aviation announcements in the coming weeks.
Officials also promoted the Transportation Security Administration's One Stop Security programme, a pilot scheme allowing eligible passengers arriving through hubs such as London Heathrow to connect to domestic flights without additional screening.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games was cited as another opportunity to sustain visitor momentum.
Visa bond program draws industry criticism
Despite the optimism around infrastructure improvements, industry representatives used the meeting to raise serious concerns about policies they say are actively discouraging international travellers.
High airfares, long visa queues, and tariffs all featured in the discussions, but the Visa Bond Program drew the sharpest criticism.
Made permanent by the State Department in August, the scheme requires business and tourist visa applicants from 50 designated countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Nepal, and Georgia, to deposit refundable bonds of between $10,000 and $20,000 before a visa is granted.
Trade association figures suggest arrivals from those nations have fallen by approximately 80 per cent since the policy took effect.
State Department records from the pilot period show that around half of the 20,000 applicants asked to post a bond declined to pay, resulting in an 83 per cent drop in B-1/B-2 visa issuances for the affected countries.
Freeman was direct in his assessment after leaving the White House. "We cannot get to 100 million travelers with a bond program that would discourage travelers," he said, according to Reuters.
Federal authorities, however, maintain the programme has succeeded on its core objective.
During the pilot's first 10 months, fewer than 50 visa overstays were recorded among bond-backed visitors, compared with 45,488 overstays from the same 50 countries in 2024.
No changes to US entry requirements or the Visa Bond Program were announced following Wednesday's discussions.
US issues travel alert to Americans
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the US Embassy in Qatar had issued a security alert to American citizens following US military strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump had warned Tehran of a far more severe response should Iran retaliate against the strikes.
The embassy had directed Americans in Qatar to enrol in the STEP programme, avoid demonstrations and prepare emergency contacts.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
