U.S. Travel System Faces Challenges Ahead of Major Sporting Events
As the world eagerly anticipates the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics, a new report has cast a shadow over the United States’ readiness to host these monumental events. Released on Wednesday by a nonprofit group representing the travel industry, the report highlights significant concerns about the U.S. air travel system’s capacity to handle the influx of millions of visitors expected for these global spectacles.
The U.S. Travel Association, which authored the report, is sounding the alarm on several critical issues. The report, crafted by a team of former government officials and industry experts, identifies aging infrastructure, sluggish visa processing times, and outdated security technology as the primary hurdles in welcoming international visitors to the country.
In a stark warning, the U.S. Travel Association stated, “We’re not ready to host the upcoming mega decade of events that will draw millions of domestic and international travelers. This poses risks to our national security and hampers economic growth.”
The numbers are staggering. The report estimates that a whopping 40 million people could visit the U.S. for the World Cup, the Olympics and Paralympics, the 2025 Ryder Cup, and America’s 250th birthday. Of these, 6 million are expected for the World Cup alone.
Geoff Freeman, CEO and president of U.S. Travel, painted a vivid picture of the challenges ahead. In 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 3 million passengers on five separate days, including the pre-Thanksgiving rush. By 2028, Freeman anticipates that such numbers will be the norm on 100 days throughout the year.
Speaking at a news conference on Capitol Hill, Freeman delivered a clear message: “The status quo is not an option.”
Recommendations for Improvement
The report doesn’t just highlight problems; it also offers solutions. Among the recommendations are:
- Establishing a White House-led task force to oversee preparations.
- Creating an expedited visitor visa process to reduce wait times.
- Modernizing airport security by adopting new technology, such as biometrics.
Freeman revealed that his organization has already engaged with White House officials in the past week to discuss these recommendations. However, attempts to reach the White House for comment were unsuccessful.
Freeman emphasized the importance of these investments, stating, “The president has been outspoken about making this the gold standard of World Cups, the best Olympics that has ever been held. To do those things, to achieve those goals, you’ve got to make some of these investments.”
Visa Processing: A Major Hurdle
One of the most pressing issues identified in the report is the slow visa processing times, which Freeman described as the “single biggest deterrent to visiting the United States.” According to the State Department, wait times for visitor visas in countries such as Colombia can stretch up to 700 days.
The consequences of these delays are significant. An Oxford Economics study cited in the report warns that if these issues remain unaddressed, the U.S. could lose millions of visitors and nearly $19 billion in spending over the next two years.
Freeman expressed his concerns, saying, “People want to come, but they’re not coming. It gets down to these visa wait times. It gets down to the customs inefficiencies. It gets down to a perception in instances that people aren’t welcome. We’re very concerned.”
As the clock ticks down to these major events, the pressure is on for the U.S. to address these challenges and ensure a seamless experience for the millions of visitors expected to descend upon the country. The world will be watching, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Originally Written by: Shwetha Surendran
