CHICAGO — At IPW 2025 in Chicago this morning, Brand USA announced its brand new ‘America the Beautiful’ global campaign – “a bold agenda” – that defies recent headlines and puts the focus back on the country’s incredible destinations, unforgettable experiences and forever memory makers.

Brand USA’s President and CEO Fred Dixon announced the new campaign this morning

Will it work?

These are unprecedented times for marketing inbound tourism to the U.S. Brand USA is up against not just plummeting numbers from Canada, but also a potential shortfall of US$12.5 billion in international inbound travel spend in 2025, travel bans and even attacks on its own funding and board.

At this week’s IPW 2025 in Chicago, Brand USA is making it clear it’s prepared to fulfill its mandate as the United States’ destination marketing organization.

Most travellers already have their summer 2025 plans in place – and many are very vocal that those plans don’t include the U.S.

However the fall travel season, winter sun travel and spring 2026 could be the real bellwether for the U.S. inbound tourism in the years to come. Will summer 2025 be a blip, or a pattern?

Dixon and members of the Brand USA team kick off IPW 2025

‘America the Beautiful’ rolls out in August. The U.S. has a very big decade of big events on the horizon, years in the making, starting in 2026 with America250, World Cup and the Route 66 Centennial. Those headliners will be followed by the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in L.A., and the 2034 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

With so much on the line, Brand USA wants ‘America the Beautiful’ to showcase “the best of the United States and drive international inbound travel in 2025 and beyond.”

Brand USA is the premier sponsor of U.S. Travel Association’s IPW, taking place this week at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“BOLD VISION”

“With this campaign, we’re sending a clear message: the USA is open for business and ready to welcome legitimate international travellers,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of Brand USA, at this morning’s Brand USA press conference.

A true bird’s eye view from 360 Chicago at IPW 2025

Dixon said Brand USA is setting its sights “on 2026 and beyond”, and called the new global tourism campaign “bold and unprecedented.”

He added: “There’s never been a better time to explore the beauty and energy of the USA, which continues to be the world’s most aspirational long-haul travel destination. We’re confident this effort will spark renewed interest and deepen connections with audiences around the world.”

In the words of Brand USA, America the Beautiful is a flexible, emotionally motivating platform designed to reignite passion for U.S. travel and remind global visitors of the richness, warmth, and diversity of U.S. destinations and people.

The campaign includes a dedicated digital hub, AmericaTheBeautiful.com, launched today. Dixon said the site represents a step toward a more intuitive, data-informed approach, allowing Brand USA to better understand what inspires global audiences to deliver tailored experiences that move them to action.

“Visitors come to do more than see America. They come to feel it, to connect with our people, explore our landscapes, and experience our stories. America the Beautiful gives us a new way to tell those stories and invite the world to be part of them,” said Dixon.

Leah Chandler, chief marketing officer for Brand USA, added that the campaign aims to serve as a storytelling platform “that will give the world a fresh lens through which to see the United States. We’re tapping into nostalgia and curiosity, the same feelings that have always drawn travellers to the United States. And it’s built to be scalable — allowing our partners to integrate, collaborate, and amplify our shared message worldwide.”

Brand USA has also partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation to  promote The Great American Road trip to international travellers, featuring 250 points of interest across the country.

Dixon noted that in fiscal year 2024, Brand USA’s marketing efforts generated 1.6 million incremental international visitors and nearly $6 billion in additional visitor spending.

According to Brand USA’s most recent Omnibus Study, the USA remains the #1 overall destination travellers are most likely to visit globally in the next year among the markets surveyed.

5,000+ DELEGATES

More than 5,000 delegates, including nearly 1,800 international and domestic buyers and media, are in Chicago this week “to do what this event does best: drive an estimated $26 billion in future travel to the U.S. and introduce thousands of buyers to new destinations, accommodations and attractions,” said U.S. Travel Association’s President and CEO, Geoff Freeman.

After last night’s opening event at the Field Museum, transformed into ‘Chicago’s House Party 2.0’, a high-energy celebration of the city’s culture, featuring live performances, local food and a silent disco, attendees are looking forward to topping their days on the trade show floor off with more special events: Monday’s Magnificent Mile, Tuesday’s Explore Chicago and Wednesday’s closing event at Navy Pier.

Also last night, Discover America Canada hosted its annual IPW cocktail reception, at 360 Chicago.

At Discover America Canada’s annual IPW cocktail reception, held this year at 360 Chicago, are (left to right) Sana Keller, Viktor Spysak, Colin Wood, Stephen Fine and Susan Webb