U.S. Tourism Faces Crossroads as World Cup Looms

The U.S. tourism sector enters 2026 at a pivotal moment, with the FIFA World Cup set to draw millions of international visitors across 11 host cities alongside celebrations of Route 66's centennial. Yet this potential boom masks deeper challenges: international travel to America dropped 6% in 2025 while global tourism spending rose 6.7%, with stricter border policies and rising costs deterring visitors from traditional markets like Canada.