Brand USA doubles down on Canadian market ahead of 2026 mega-events

Brand USA is rolling out new resources and reinforcing its commitment to the Canadian market as 2026 approaches with several major tourism drivers: the FIFA World Cup, America's 250th anniversary, and Route 66's centennial.

Chris Heywood, senior vice president, public relations & chief communications officer at Brand USA, sat down with PAX this week (Feb. 4) during his visit to Toronto to discuss the organization's plans for what he called "a monumental year for the US."

The World Cup alone will bring matches to 11 host cities across the United States. 

Beyond the tournament itself, Brand USA is encouraging international visitors to explore America's diverse destinations, from its 63 national parks to urban cultural attractions.

"I think it's important for us to be up in this market to reinforce that we do care about the Canadian market. We want your business. We want to thank people who have really supported the U.S. during this time," Heywood said. 

"Brand USA is in it for the long haul, and we're not going away."

New trip planning hub launched

To support World Cup travellers, Brand USA recently launched "America the Beautiful Game," a trip planning hub at AmericaTheBeautiful.com/Football. 

The resource features AI-powered road trip itineraries connecting all 11 U.S. host cities with nearby destinations, alongside curated lists of local experiences and dining options.

The hub highlights 50 things to do across the host cities and beyond, from stadium tours and football-themed bars to cultural attractions and outdoor adventures. 

Each host city section includes details on the number of matches being played, nearby road trip destinations, and local experiences tailored to football fans.

Cities hosting matches include Atlanta (eight matches, including a semi-final), Dallas (nine matches, including a semi-final), New York/New Jersey (eight matches, including the championship), Los Angeles (eight matches, including the opening match), and Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle (between six and seven matches each).

National parks get new focus

Brand USA also recently announced a push to encourage visitors to explore both iconic and lesser-known national parks. 

The U.S. National Park Service protects 63 national parks and over 400 sites across the country.

New visitor policies and fee schedules took effect January 1, including a $100 non-resident surcharge for visitors aged 16 and older at 11 of the most visited national parks. 

These include Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.

"We have 63 national parks and only 11 of these parks are subject to the higher pricing,” said Heywood. 

Brand USA's messaging encourages visitors to combine bucket-list destinations with hidden gems and state parks, particularly during quieter times of year.

Travellers planning to visit three or more parks may find the new $250 America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass cost-effective. 

The pass covers entrance fees and the non-resident surcharge at the listed parks for the passholder and is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase.

“Alternatively, I encourage people to consider coming and visiting multiple parks and taking advantage of the $250 America the Beautiful Pass. If you go to three or more parks, you're going to save money," said Heywood.

Targeting the movable middle

Heywood acknowledged the current climate around travel to the United States but said Brand USA remains focused on Canadians who are still considering a trip south.

"We're really focused on the movable middle – the market that's still on the fence and wants to come,” he said. 

“There are people that are coming for events or sports or entertainment or to see family. We have a lot of things going on that may push people to go if they were on the fence."

The organization's strategy centres on highlighting compelling reasons to visit.

Event-driven travel appears particularly strong with Canadian travellers right now. 

Heywood noted that sports, entertainment, outdoor and adventure experiences, luxury travel, and family-friendly segments are all key focus areas for Brand USA.

Many U.S. destinations are actively trying to attract Canadian travellers. 

Three downtown Las Vegas properties — Circa Resort & Casino, The D Las Vegas, and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino — launched an "At Par" program in late January that treats the Canadian dollar as equal to the U.S. dollar, while Palm Springs has put up banners welcoming Canadians.

"It's great to see some of these destinations really lean in," Heywood said.

Strong Canadian numbers

Despite the political climate making some Canadian travellers uneasy, Canadians are still travelling to the United States. 

Heywood shared that Canada sent 15.8 million visitors south last year, and Canada remains one of its top two source markets.

Airlift also shows resilience. 

Heywood pointed to Porter's new routes, including seasonal Phoenix, Arizona service from Vancouver and Ottawa, as well as Nashville service from Toronto, as examples of continued connectivity between the two countries.

"We're absolutely committed to this market. We haven't let our foot off the pedal. We haven't pulled back," Heywood said.

AI-powered planning tools

Brand USA is also introducing AI-forward tools to support travel advisors. 

The organization has integrated Mindtrip into the America the Beautiful planning site. 

Mindtrip is an AI-powered travel planning platform that generates personalized itineraries based on user preferences, drawing from thousands of travel content sources to provide recommendations for destinations, hotels, restaurants, and activities.

"We are AI forward, and the Mindtrip tool on the American Beautiful planning site, will help agents as a resource and get down into the nitty gritty of: what does that destination offer?" Heywood said.

Human connection at the core

Beyond the numbers, Heywood noted tourism's power to bring people together.

"One thing that we want to emphasize is the people that are on the front lines of our business —  our people in the hotels and hospitality community — these people really do value the Canadian market," he said.

"Tourism is a unifier. It brings people together. We warmly welcome the Canadian market. We want their business, and we know that they're going to come when the time is right."

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