Tourism Economics indicates that inbound travel to the U.S. remains under pressure. Several factors continue to erode international travel sentiment toward the US, leading to a forecasted 8.7% decline in international arrivals this year.
Forward-looking indicators also show limited recovery in the near term, as air bookings to the US for the May–July travel window sit 10.8% lower than the same period in 2024. Read the report, “Negative Outlook for Inbound Travel Hasn’t Budged.”

Skift Research has published “Travel AI Overview Visibility Index” in conjunction with Dune7 and seoClarity. The first-ever report on this topic is an analysis of nearly 500,000 keywords to understand the impact that AIOs are having on the global travel industry.

Cvent has released its annual Top Meeting Destinations list for 2025 with Orlando in the #1 position. In order, the destinations are: Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, Wash. D.C., Phoenix, Denver. Among the criteria used to determine the rankings: the number of total room nights booked through the Cvent Supplier Network, the number of unique RFPs sent to venues within the city, the total value of the RFPs submitted and the value of meetings booked.

Sojern reports on trends: “Travelers are rewriting the rules this summer. Because of geopolitical uncertainty, they’re skipping the long-haul for local gems, chasing cultural moments over crowded beaches, and booking later than ever. Understanding these shifts isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.” This season, here’s what’s standing out:

• Booking windows are shorter, and flexibility is everything
• People are staying closer to home, but still want new experiences
• Cultural events and cooler climates are shaping destination choices

From MMGY: Here’s the latest scoop from the MMGY social media team on what’s new across platforms this week:

📍 Expedia will soon turn Instagram Reels into bookable trips. Users submit travel Reels and get personalized itineraries – linking social content directly to bookings.
📊 LinkedIn rolled out enhanced post analytics, helping users understand what drives engagement and grow their audience more effectively.
🔍 YouTube is adding Google Lens to Shorts, letting viewers identify landmarks and products in videos – connecting inspiration to discovery.
🎧 Instagram DMs got easier with automatic transcription of voice clips and longer audio messages for more flexible, accessible chats.
💰 YouTube improved ad reviews, auto-rechecking limited eligibility videos to speed monetization and create more creator opportunities.

Expedia Group has released the 2025 Traveler Value Index finding that 73% of travelers say that influencer recommendations have led to booking decisions. For travelers under 40, this impact is even more pronounced at 83%. Responses were received from more than 11,000 consumers in 11 international markets.

Expedia Trip Matching is now in beta testing, The feature can create itineraries based on Instagram Reels and bookable on Expedia. How it works:
> Inspiration: User encounters a reel featuring a destination or experience they love
> Shares: User taps on that reel’s share icon, finds the @Expedia account, and sends the video
> Results: Based on the video’s content, Expedia delivers AI-generated, personalized travel recommendations and itineraries
> Book: Travelers can book directly from the customized itinerary

Tripadvisor CEO Matt Goldberg and Viator President Pepijn Rijvers say that the increasing use of AI in the travel industry will place even greater importance on building the trust of consumers. If a booking company removes friction and adds value for the travel customer “we will see their loyalty to the brand, and then that builds the trust, that builds the repeat business, that builds a free traffic profile, that builds good unit economics and that builds the opportunity to invest,” Rijvers said.

JNS Next, a full-service marketing, advertising and creative agency, has been named agency of record for Surf City USA, Visit Huntington Beach. The DMO’s remit calls for enhancing brand presence and engaging domestic and international travelers through innovative, data-driven campaigns to drive tourism. Also in Southern California, JNS Next was awarded a five-year contract by the City of La Quinta. The initial phase will focus on developing a more robust and informative outreach plan to residents, visitors, and current and future businesses through economic development efforts.

Violet PR, a New Jersey-based agency specializing in economic development, was chosen to represent the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lancaster County, Nebraska. The agency will develop a national PR campaign to highlight the city and county as a business and visitor destination. 

Destination Toronto has appointed Black Diamond and MMGY Global as PR agency and travel trade agency, respectively, for representation in the UK and Ireland. The DMO is strengthening its overseas presence in response to evolving traveler demand and growing appeal of Canadian city breaks among these audiences.