by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Mon May 18, 2026
Brand USA, the nation's official destination marketing organization, is expanding its America the Beautiful brand platform with two new programs: real-time information for international visitors and a content storytelling series spotlighting America's attractions.
The new programs were announced jointly at the U.S. Travel Association's IPW in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and at IMEX in Frankfurt, Germany.
"In line with our mission to impact the U.S. economy through travel exports, we have an opportunity to further build traveler confidence and inspire visitation," said Fred Dixon, Brand USA's President and CEO. "With our expanded platform, we are introducing American Originals, which spotlights the people and places who originated the styles, sounds, and tastes the world loves while Get Facts. Get Going. serves as a single source of information to address misperceptions head-on. We want international visitors to know that we are open for business and warmly welcome them."
Get Facts. Get Going. is a new part of VisitTheUSA.com, an effort to offer timely, up-to-date information on visa and entry policies, fees and other "misperceptions" the DMO has identified among international visitors.
Some of the questions on the website include, "Am I still welcome to visit the United States as an international traveler?"
The second new program of America the Beautiful is American Originals, a new storytelling series highlighting unique filming locations, culinary treasures and wholly American experiences, expected to run through 2027.
America the Beautiful launched in October, 2025, following several months of upheavals for the DMO. President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" cut 80% of government funding for Brand USA's 2026 fiscal year, and his subsequent cuts to the federal workforce fired 15% of its staff, ended GoUSA TV and replaced five of the DMO's 11 board members during the staffing cuts.
The campaign was created to attract international visitation to the United States ahead of major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and national milestones such as America 250.
International visitation dropped by over 6% last year (some markets, like Canada, plummeted by over 20%). It's a trend that seems to be continuing this year as international visitation in April alone dropped 14%.
Still, the United States remains the world's largest tourism market, according to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council, though with China quickly gaining ground and international visitation still uncertain for the first time since the pandemic, that might not be true for long, unless the nation returns to positive international visitation growth.
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