Casino and tourism industry executives urge President Trump to play a more active role in boosting international travel, as weaker visitation weighs on major gaming destinations like Las Vegas despite a temporary lift from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle, representing the casino gaming industry at a White House meeting on Wednesday, emphasized that enhancing international travel is vital to achieving the industry’s goal of 100 million foreign visitors annually.
“Travel is crucial. Travel needs your leadership. To meet the target of 100 million, we require your help and direct involvement. Achieving this milestone could mean 400,000 additional jobs. Especially in places like Las Vegas, it would have a significant impact,” Hornbuckle stated.
In 2025, Las Vegas tourism significantly declined. Total visitation decreased by 7.5%, and overseas arrivals plunged by 14.7% year-over-year to 2.2 million, representing a drop of about 380,000 travelers, according to figures from the International Trade Association. The city ranked sixth among U.S. destinations for overseas visitors.
President Donald Trump and MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle
New York welcomed 8.9 million overseas visitors, followed by Miami with 5.1 million, Orlando with 4.3 million, Los Angeles with 3.7 million, and San Francisco with 2.4 million.
The White House meeting included executives from MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Venetian, and Raffles & Fairmont, along with representatives from American Airlines, Marriott, Carnival, and IHG Hotels & Resorts, as reported by Reuters.
Trump, who has previous experience in the casino industry with properties in Atlantic City and on Lake Michigan, emphasized that Las Vegas and other U.S. casino destinations could contribute to boosting international tourism for the country.
“I’ve interacted with many of them in my personal life, and they are highly skilled individuals,” Trump said about the tourism and gaming leaders.
Hornbuckle also highlighted the “No Tax on Tips” initiative, part of the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill, which allows tipped workers to deduct up to $25,000 of tipped income from their federal income tax obligation.
“I express gratitude on behalf of our employees. ‘No Tax on Tips’ has had a significant impact,” Hornbuckle added.
The casino industry’s concerns arise amid a downturn in U.S. international visitation. The country saw 68.3 million foreign visitors in 2025, down 5.5% from 2024, while another data set for the year reported total international visitors at 68 million. Overseas arrivals further dropped by 4.7% through July 2026, according to the Commerce Department.
Canadian travel remains a particular worry for casino and tourism markets. Visits from Canada plummeted by an estimated 20% last year as Canadians objected to Trump’s tariffs and proposals for annexing their country, impacting destinations like Las Vegas and U.S. border states. The federal government attributed much of the overall 2025 decline to the decrease in Canadian visitation.
U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman
The U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman shared with Trump that the industry aims to increase foreign arrivals to 100 million annually by 2030. “Let’s make the U.S. the world’s most visited destination. That’s currently France,” Freeman stated.
France recorded a record-breaking 102 million foreign tourists in 2025, including 5 million Americans, with the latter figure showing a 17% increase over 2025.
Travel officials have identified prolonged visa interview wait times, higher airline ticket prices, stricter immigration policies, tariffs, and travel restrictions for some countries as factors contributing to the declining U.S. arrivals.
Industry groups have also voiced concerns about the Trump administration’s visitor bond requirements for travelers from 50 countries. Freeman mentioned that arrivals from these markets have dropped by 80%. “We cannot achieve 100 million travelers with a bond program that discourages visitors,” Freeman highlighted to reporters.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup provided a temporary boost to the sector. U.S. travel spending saw a 6.2% year-over-year rise in June to $122.1 billion, the highest monthly figure in a year, while FIFA reported record attendance for the tournament. Trump noted that the event brought significant economic benefits to U.S. host cities.
“The American skies were filled with planes and a lot of delighted people,” Trump remarked.
Freeman, who previously led the American Gaming Association during the period when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal sports betting ban, credited the Trump administration’s visa and customs measures for supporting World Cup travel.
The White House reported that it has implemented measures to streamline airport screening by allowing passengers to keep their shoes on and introducing family screening lanes at select airports. The administration also plans to expand biometric fast lanes for returning U.S. citizens and expedite international-to-domestic flight connections.
The travel industry has faced additional disruptions from partial government shutdowns, impacting airport security lines and flights. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also threatened in May to halt border processing at Newark and potentially other airports in so-called “sanctuary cities.”