President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with executives from the nation’s biggest airlines, hotel chains and travel companies on Wednesday, as the White House seeks to boost summer tourism in part due to the men’s FIFA World Cup.
The following representatives will participate in the meeting: american airlines, Reservation held, caesars entertainment, carnivalHard Rock International, hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, marriott international, MGM Resorts InternationalRaffles & Fairmont and The Venetian, according to White House officials.
Also scheduled to attend are Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Jeff Freeman, White House FIFA World Cup Task Force Executive Director Andrew Giuliani, and sports and entertainment executive Casey Wasserman, who is the chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The meeting comes as the travel industry seeks to maintain increased spending from the World Cup despite a drop in international visitor numbers, creating new barriers for some international travelers.
Additionally, President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have become prominent during this World Cup, and have developed an unusually close relationship with President Trump both before and during the tournament. After the World Cup final in New Jersey, President Trump joined Infantino on stage to present the trophy to Spain.
Infantino is currently facing growing criticism after plans for FIFA’s commercial rights were scrapped.
“President Trump will meet with members of the U.S. Travel Association to celebrate his accomplishments in producing a historic summer travel season and providing a strong boost to local economies and small businesses,” White House Press Secretary Taylor Rogers said in a statement.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, U.S. travel spending in June rose 6.2% from the same month last year to $122.1 billion, the highest monthly total on record. The group attributed the increase to peak summer demand and higher hotel prices in cities hosting World Cup matches.
But other indicators paint a more mixed picture for the summer travel economy. Travel prices rose 8.1% in June from a year earlier, outpacing the increase in overall spending, while air passenger numbers fell 1.3%, according to US Travel. The number of international arrivals decreased by 1.8% in June and continues to decline by 4.3% year-to-date.
More recent data released Wednesday showed international arrivals in July were down 7% from the same month last year and 4.7% since the start of the year. This exceeded the 2.1% decline in overall air passenger numbers in July.
International travel to the United States poses a particular challenge for the industry. In 2025, President Trump’s first year in the White House, the number of international arrivals to the United States will decline by 5.5%, with travel officials citing longer wait times for visa interviews, stricter immigration policies and concerns about the entry of some foreign travelers.
The White House is expected to highlight measures it says have helped accommodate World Cup visitors and improved the broader travel system, including faster visa processing, increased staffing at Customs and Border Protection and changes to airport screening.
Ahead of the World Cup, the government launched FIFA PASS, allowing ticket holders who require a US visa to get priority interview appointments.
The administration also began spending $12.5 billion, approved by Congress, on long-awaited projects to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control systems and replace radar, communications and other equipment at thousands of FAA locations.
Mr. Trump and industry executives are also expected to discuss how to maintain travel demand after the World Cup and 250th anniversary celebrations.
The initiative comes as the U.S. Travel Association presses Washington to make it easier and cheaper for international tourists to visit the United States. The group opposes the introduction of a new $250 visa integrity fee and expanded social media screening requirements for some international travelers, warning that rising costs and additional entry hurdles could stifle growth in international travel. President Trump also more than tripled fees for foreign tourists to major U.S. national parks earlier this year.
— Eamon Javers contributed to this report.
