It Takes All Kinds🇺🇸

If you only read the headlines, you’d think international travelers ghosted the U.S. and left us on “read.” And yeah, the numbers sting. Analysts are calling for about an 8 percent (and as high as 18%) drop in international arrivals this year, with spending projected down by roughly 12.5 billion dollars.

Why? Friction. Long visa waits in key markets. Airport queues that feel like a second flight. A haze of safety and political headlines. Even industry leaders are pleading with the U.S. to make entry easier before the World Cup and LA28 shine a very bright light on us.

Here’s the thing. The growth story isn’t gone. NTTO still expects 77 million international visitors in 2025 and a full rebound past 2019 levels by 2026. But right now, the vibe is choppy. The U.S. Travel dashboard even flashed a June dip in inbound air and hotel demand. That means destinations cannot coast.

And yet, scroll TikTok or airport feeds and you’ll see a different truth.

People are still coming for the sheer fun of America.

Road trips. Diners at one in the morning. National parks. Drag brunches. Small town festivals. Big city chaos. The joy moments still travel well. Remember that viral airport dance trend? That is the assignment. Contagious joy always beats defensive messaging.

The Play: Lean All the Way In

Policy is a headwind you can’t fix this week. Authenticity is a tailwind you can. “It takes all kinds” should not be a tagline. It should be your operating system.

Five Moves to Run Now

1. Program for paradox. Pair “safe and smooth” proof like clear wayfinding, multilingual essentials, and mobile first info with unbuttoned joy like live playlists, late night eats, and oddball local rituals. Do both.

2. Show the spectrum. Feature travelers who actually mirror your inbound markets. Solo women. Gen Z friend groups. Multi-gen families. Halal and kosher travelers. LGBTQ+ visitors. Let them narrate in their own languages.

3. Design the first 24 hours. Build “Frictionless Day One” kits. Include airport-to-door guidance, tipping 101, payment info, safety basics, and neighborhood primers. Make it swipeable, saveable, and printable.

4. Mine UGC for joy, not just views. Elevate clips that capture pure play. Spontaneous dance. Weird snacks. “Only in this place” moments. Then stitch them into short story arcs like 48 hours for $48 or four neighborhoods in a weekend.

5. Own the welcome. Get hotels, venues, and festivals on the same page with a shared welcome standard. Signage, a 15-second greeting script, and a QR code for “Everything You Need in Your Language.” Small, consistent signals build big trust.

Messaging Angles

• Serious about your safety. Unserious about your fun.

• From quiet hikes to loud nights. Pick your chapter.

• Rules where they matter. Freedom where it counts.

• Come as you are. Leave with five new versions of yourself.

KPIs to Watch

• Save rate and shares on “Day One” content

• Average time spent on multilingual guides

• Creator bookings tracked via partner codes

• Sentiment around “welcome,” “easy,” and “fun” in social listening

• In-market NPS from first-time international visitors

Bottom line.

The macro winds may be messy, but curiosity and joy still convert. Do not sand down who you are to chase some false sense of neutral. Be radically clear. Be radically welcoming. Be radically fun. It really does take all kinds, and that is our competitive edge.

Hi, I’m Jenn, and I believe tourism gets better when we stop pretending to be one thing. 🇺🇸