Why the United States is the leading tourist country in 2024

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(Credit: Getty Images)

A new report released by the World Economic Forum highlights the country's promotion of natural and cultural resources and its commitment to sustainable development and tourism.

Even though it's been a tough four years for the travel industry, international tourist arrivals are expected to finally reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024. But continued global travel growth is far from a sure thing, due to inflation, climate change and geopolitical tensions, which keep the sector in a precarious situation.

Still, some countries and governments have done a better job minimizing these risks and maximizing their travel and tourism potential, according to the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024, released last month by the World Economic Forum. The index ranks countries around the world based on factors such as safety and security, priority given to travel and tourism, air and land transportation infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, and sustainability.

This year's rankings put Spain, Japan (last year's winner), France and Australia among the top five, and a newcomer at the top of the list: the United States, which surpassed the global competition thanks to their scores in business environment, air transport infrastructure and natural resources. High scores reflect the country's robust infrastructure, ease of travel between cities, diversity of natural and cultural destinations, and traveler-friendly resources such as guides to cities, parks, and other attractions.

“While the obvious reasons for this distinction exist, such as its diverse landscapes, natural beauty and cultural richness, the United States also has a well-developed infrastructure supporting the travel and tourism sector,” says Anna Abelson, assistant instructor at New York University SPS. Tisch Hospitality Center.

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The United States' promotion of its many diverse landscapes and cultural richness contributed to its top ranking (Credit: Alamy)

This infrastructure greatly strengthens purchasing power. According to the United States Travel Association's (USTA) biannual U.S. travel forecast, before the pandemic, international visitors spent $180 billion in the United States in 2019, generating nearly $2 trillion in output. economic. To put this into perspective, France, the most visited country in the world, received 90 million visitors in 2019, compared to 79.4 million in the United States, and generated approximately $61 billion (56 billion) in tourism revenue. international tourism that year. Although that $180 billion figure has declined during the pandemic, the USTA notes that visitor levels are expected to recover by 2025.

Compared to other countries, the U.S. federal government provides broad support for travel and tourism, including maintaining and regulating the strength of airport infrastructure and the airline industry. Yet experts say much of the country's travel and tourism success can be attributed to the diversity of its cities, large and small, and the time and financial investments they have each devoted to development of long-term sustainable tourism plans.

Broad appeal

With bigger budgets and staff numbers, America's biggest cities have made a big effort to stay in the minds and maps of international travelers, and those big bets are paying off.

“For decades, major American cities like [Las] Vegas and New York have taken a proactive and aggressive approach to marketing their destinations with strong branding, in a way that lasts and resonates with consumers,” said Taryn Scher, founder of TK Public Relations, which represents destinations like Greenville, South Carolina and Macon, Georgia “You know the slogans. There is no doubt that this leads to an increase in tourism in their respective cities. »

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Some American cities are more different from each other than from other countries (Getty Images)

Global mega-events held in the United States believe Coachella, the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras also attract visitors from around the world, says Scher. The United States' vast national park system, including 63 parks and 54 million acres (which is almost as large as the entire United Kingdom), cannot be overstated in terms of its global appeal.

“The United States is blessed with more variety of landscapes and interesting cities than any other country on the planet, whether mountains, deserts, tropics or swamps,” said Tim Leffel, author of the book and online resource The World's Cheapest Destinations. “New Orleans, New York, Santa Fe, Alaska and Florida are more different than most countries.”

Think global, act local

Large or small, the American travel industry does not view tourism as a zero-sum game.

The 10 best countries for tourism

United StatesSpainJapanFranceAustraliaGermanyUnited KingdomChinaItalySwitzerland

Source: World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024

“One of the determining factors in the success of the U.S. travel industry is the collaborative efforts among local, regional and national tourism organizations,” said Danielle Borja, President and CEO of Visit Conejo Valley.

For example, Borja notes that Visit California recently launched The Ultimate Playground campaign to showcase its outdoor, cultural and wellness activities across the state. But it gave industry partners, like Visit Conejo Valley, the opportunity to highlight more fun activities, like a new Star Wars exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Tourism entities like this often also partner with private businesses such as restaurants and private attractions, which is a positive aspect of the American tourism industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, conflict between the “execution” role of government and private companies can hinder collaboration and misalign priorities, but this problem is less pronounced in the United States.

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“The United States is blessed with more variety of landscapes and interesting cities than any other country on the planet” (Credit: Getty Images)

Scher also notes how the rise of American cities, which traditionally welcomed fewer international tourists, saw their visitor numbers increase. “More recently, places like Tampa, Savannah, Cincinnati, Indianapolis [and] Louisville found a way to craft its message to increase brand awareness and do so in an aggressive but strategic way,” she said.

As a 20-year industry veteran, Scher believes the U.S. has been able to maintain its strong travel growth trajectory because every office in every state and city prioritizes its marketing efforts.

“We've seen a huge surge in interest in these smaller, lesser-known destinations,” Scher said. “They became popular during the pandemic, when people were looking for less populated places to visit, and now smart destinations that have seen this increase are realizing that tourism makes real money.”

Investment doesn't always happen overnight, but places like Charleston and Napa Valley have both benefited from a long-term strategy and its impact on a city's entire economy. “More visitors means more spending at local restaurants, stores and hotels,” Scher said. “Every dollar spent by visitors locally is multiplied and stays in the community, resulting in a tremendous direct economic impact. Tourism booms generate more jobs and opportunities in communities.”

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Places like California's Napa Valley have benefited from a long-term tourism strategy (Getty Images)

Data-Driven

According to Leffel, part of the success of American tourism comes simply from good old work ethic, organizational efficiency and reliable communication.

“U.S. tourism boards respond to reporters, carry out their marketing campaigns, attend conferences to improve their work, and find people to collaborate with,” he said. “They look at the return on investment [return on investment] and what works so they can improve their campaigns the following year. They evaluate and review the successes of others. They regularly look outward beyond their borders and don't just market to a captive base of domestic travelers.

Leffel points to the growth of the annual IPW conference, one of the world's largest inbound travel shows, which takes credit for billions of dollars in future travel by tracking sales of U.S. travel products like lodging, destinations and attractions to travel buyers like international tour operators. .

According to Abelson, U.S.-based tourism bureaus and destination management organizations also tend to have robust information centers supported by a strong digital presence. “The training and education of tourism professionals has evolved in response to industry needs and trends,” she said. The pandemic has accelerated trends like the adoption of travel technology (think: room service robots) and new technologies like AI are expected to change the way travelers research and book trips, and the United States The United States generally has an advantage as early adopters of technology and risk-takers compared to other countries. other countries. Training has also been bolstered by industry support, particularly from organizations like Brand USA and the USTA, which work to promote the United States as a destination of choice and communicate policies regarding visa and entry.

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The US national park system covers almost as much land as the UK (Getty Images)

The United States has never been known for subtlety or doing things on a small scale, and when it comes to its tourism offering, this formula has proven to be a strength. “When America latches on to a trend, it doesn't stop until it's saturated. Witness artisan wine, beer, and coffee, or museums, concerts, and kids' activities in cities,” Leffel said. “We don’t stop until we surpass everyone else in quality or variety.”

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