U.S. travel system 'not ready' to accommodate World Cup, Olympics

The United States is ill-equipped to host the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics due to deficiencies in an "outdated air travel system," according to a travel industry report released Wednesday.

The U.S. Travel Association said its report by the Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel calls for immediate action by the White House and Congress to prepare the country for the influx of travelers for the FIFA World Cup, Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympic Games, 2025 Ryder Cup and America’s 250th anniversary. It estimates that 40 million people could visit the four events, with 6 million alone for the World Cup.

The report offers a blueprint to address its list of concerns, including more efficient visa processing and modernized airport screening and security. Without improvements and upgrades, the U.S. could stand to lose millions of visitors and close to $19 billion in spending, according to an Oxford Economics study cited by the report.

"We're not ready to host the upcoming mega decade of events that will draw millions of domestic and international travelers," the U.S. Travel Association states. "This poses risks to our national security and hampers economic growth."

The U.S. Travel Association also calls for "urgent modernization" of air traffic control technology as well as an immediate solution for air traffic controller shortages.

“America is staring at a historic opportunity — the question is whether we will seize the moment or fall maddeningly short,” U.S. Travel Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman said.

“The next several years will bring unprecedented travel demand that our systems are not prepared to handle. Washington has a small window to fix major travel pain points and unlock a $100 billion economic opportunity — but it will require a level of urgency that has been missing in recent years."

U.S. travel system 'not ready' for World Cup, Olympics, according to report

By Joe Lago | Feb 20, 2025