IPW 2025 Emphasizes the U.S. is Open for Business
Trade Show Executive
CHICAGO — IPW 2025, held by U.S. Travel Association, welcomed more than 5,000 attendees from 64 countries to McCormick Place in Chicago for its annual trade show. This year IPW featured more than 950 exhibitors across nearly 150,000 square feet of exhibit space — up from 2024’s 142,000 square feet.
With the overarching goal of bringing more travelers to the U.S., over the course of the three-day show, more than 100,000 business appointments took place, connecting the U.S. travel industry with buyers and media from around the world.
The major focus of this year’s event was on ways to increase lawful visitation to the U.S. Data from U.S. Travel and Rockport Analytics project that the impact of IPW 2025 will be significant, accounting for a projected 10.9 million visitors over the next three years. That projected number is expected to generate $26.1 billion in spending while supporting 63,000 American jobs annually.
“The total direct spending value of the travel industry in the United States is $1.3 trillion every year, and almost $200 billion of that comes from international visitors,” stated U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman. “Yet over the last decade, America has lost ground in the global travel market. To reclaim our share, we must deliver a stronger, more seamless experience that meets the expectations of today’s international travelers.”
Another theme of this year’s event was that the U.S. is open for business and ready to welcome the world to the country, and that includes providing a more seamless experience to international travelers.