Casino and tourism industry executives urged U.S. President Donald Trump to take a more active role in reversing the decline in international travel, warning that weaker visitation is weighing on Las Vegas and other major gaming destinations despite a temporary boost from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle, speaking on behalf of the casino gaming industry during a White House meeting on Wednesday, said improving international travel would be critical to reaching an industry target of 100 million foreign visitors annually.
“Travel is difficult. Travel needs your leadership. If we’re going to meet 100 million, we need your help, your direct involvement. If we can get there, it’s 400,000 more jobs. And in a place like Las Vegas, it means a lot,” Hornbuckle said.
Las Vegas tourism weakened substantially in 2025. Total visitation fell 7.5%, while overseas arrivals dropped 14.7% year over year to 2.2 million, a decline of about 380,000 travelers, according to International Trade Association figures. The city ranked sixth among U.S. destinations for overseas visitors.
President Donald Trump and MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle
New York received 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, alongside representatives from American Airlines, Marriott, Carnival and IHG Hotels & Resorts, reported Reuters.
Trump, who previously owned casinos in Atlantic City and on Lake Michigan, has said Las Vegas and other U.S. casino destinations could help the country increase international tourism.
“I’ve known them in my private life, many of them, and they’re tremendously talented people,” Trump said of the tourism and gaming leaders.
Hornbuckle also highlighted “No Tax on Tips,” 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 want to thank you on behalf of our employees. ‘No Tax on Tips’ has gone a long way,” Hornbuckle said.
The casino industry’s concerns come amid a decline in U.S. international visitation. The country received 68.3 million foreign visitors in 2025, down 5.5% from 2024, while another figure cited for the year put total international visitors at 68 million. Overseas arrivals were down a further 4.7% through July 2026, according to the Commerce Department.
Canadian travel has been a particular concern for casino and tourism markets. Visits from Canada fell an estimated 20% last year as Canadians objected to Trump’s tariffs and calls for annexing their country, affecting destinations including Las Vegas and U.S. border states. The federal government attributed much of the overall 2025 decline to the fall in Canadian visitation.
U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman
U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman told Trump the industry wants to increase foreign arrivals to 100 million annually by 2030. “Let’s make the U.S. the world’s most visited destination. That’s France today,” Freeman said.
France received a record 102 million foreign tourists in 2025, including 5 million Americans, with the latter figure up 17% over 2025.
Travel officials have identified lengthy visa interview wait times, higher airline ticket prices, stricter immigration policies, tariffs and travel restrictions affecting some countries as factors behind declining U.S. arrivals.
Industry groups have also raised concerns about the Trump administration’s visitor bond requirements for travelers from 50 countries. Freeman said arrivals from those markets have fallen 80%. “We cannot get to 100 million travelers with a bond program that would discourage travelers,” Freeman told reporters.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup provided a temporary lift to the sector. U.S. travel spending rose 6.2% year over year in June to $122.1 billion, the strongest monthly reading in a year, while FIFA reported record attendance for the tournament. Trump said the event delivered a significant economic boost to U.S. host cities.
“The American skies were loaded up with planes and loaded up with a lot of happy people,” Trump said.
Freeman, who previously led the American Gaming Association during the period in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal sports betting ban, credited Trump administration measures involving visas and customs with supporting World Cup travel.
The White House said it has taken steps to ease airport screening by allowing passengers to keep their shoes on and introducing family screening lanes at some airports. It also plans to expand biometric fast lanes for returning U.S. citizens and speed up international-to-domestic flight connections.
The travel industry has faced additional disruption from partial government shutdowns, which have affected 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.”