U.S. Travel’s New Policy Arm Pushes Airport, Visa Fixes Before World Cup

After a sluggish year for inbound tourism, a new coalition backed by the U.S. Travel Association wants to make sure the country is prepared for a surge in visitation in 2026 and beyond.

The America’s Sports & Travel Mega Event Coalition (ASTMEC), an alliance of sports, travel, and business leaders, will be working alongside the administration, Congress, and state and local leaders ahead of major U.S. events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.

“Launching the coalition now is going to add, we hope, additional firepower and support for making sure that we're ready for those events,” said Erik Hansen, who was recently named senior vice president, head of government relations at the U.S. Travel Association.

The coalition has spent roughly $10,000 on federal-level lobbying in the third quarter, accor