Trump Brings Major Casino Operators Together to Boost US Tourism
United States.- 9 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com US President Donald Trump has hosted executives from some of the country’s largest casino and tourism businesses at the White House to discuss a strategy aimed at significantly increasing international visitor numbers.
The objective is to build on momentum generated by the 2026 FIFA World Cup and reach 100 million international visitors per year, bringing the United States closer to becoming the world’s most visited tourism destination.
Major Operators at the White House
The Oval Office meeting included representatives from major casino and entertainment groups.
Among them were:
- MGM Resorts International.
- Caesars Entertainment.
- Hard Rock.
The discussions sought to strengthen cooperation between the Federal Government and companies capable of attracting substantial international tourism.
Casinos as a Tourism Driver
The Trump administration sees the scale of the US casino and resort industry as an important component of the country’s broader tourism strategy.
Destinations such as Las Vegas combine:
- Casinos.
- Hotels.
- Food and beverage.
- Entertainment.
- Conventions.
- Major events.
The objective is to use this integrated offering to strengthen US competitiveness against other leading global destinations.
100 Million Visitor Target
The industry is targeting 100 million international visitors annually.
Reaching that level would bring the United States closer to France, which attracted approximately 103 million foreign visitors during the latest year cited.
The strategy is designed to capitalise on increased international travel generated by the 2026 World Cup.
Tourism Declined in 2025
The initiative also follows weaker recent tourism performance.
The United States welcomed 68.3 million foreign visitors in 2025.
That represented a 5.5% year-on-year decline.
A sharp reduction in Canadian visitors was among the main factors behind the fall.
Challenge for Las Vegas
Even Las Vegas has faced difficulties maintaining international visitor numbers.
The city ranked only sixth among US destinations for foreign arrivals and lost almost 380,000 international travellers year-on-year.
The figures have reinforced industry calls for improvements to the overall experience of travelling to the United States.
Donald Trump Comments
Trump praised the business leaders attending the meeting and referred to his longstanding familiarity with many figures in the casino sector.
The President, who previously owned casino properties in Atlantic City, welcomed the possibility of the United States overtaking France as the world’s leading tourism destination.
MGM Calls for Federal Support
MGM Resorts International President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle said reaching 100 million visitors will require direct government involvement.
He argued that travel to the United States remains difficult and called for presidential support to help accelerate international tourism growth.
Hornbuckle estimated that achieving the target could create approximately 400,000 additional jobs.
Impact on Las Vegas
The MGM chief particularly highlighted the potential consequences for Las Vegas.
The city’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism, hospitality, entertainment, conventions and gaming.
A recovery in foreign visitation could directly benefit casinos, hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses.
Tax Relief for Workers
Hornbuckle also welcomed recent tax relief for workers who rely on gratuities.
He highlighted the impact of the “No Tax on Tips” policy on employees across the sector.
The measure is particularly relevant to hospitality, restaurants and casino businesses.
World Cup as a Starting Point
Tourism officials and industry representatives believe the 2026 FIFA World Cup demonstrated the United States’ ability to host very large numbers of international visitors.
The tournament provided an opportunity to showcase the country’s tourism offering and test improvements relating to borders, airports and immigration processes.
The challenge is now to maintain that momentum after the event.
Visas and Customs
US Travel Association President Geoff Freeman, a former American Gaming Association chief executive, highlighted the positive impact of changes involving visas and customs procedures.
He said those measures helped millions of travellers enter the country during the World Cup summer.
Freeman believes continued improvements will be essential if the 100 million visitor target is to be achieved.
Tourism and Employment
Growth in international visitation would have economic implications well beyond casinos.
Additional travellers could benefit:
- Hotels.
- Restaurants.
- Transport.
- Entertainment.
- Retail.
- Conventions.
- Tourism services.
Casino resorts are positioned as important hubs capable of concentrating and multiplying this spending.
Industry Context
Major US casino groups have increasingly developed integrated entertainment models.
Alongside gaming, companies such as MGM Resorts, Caesars and Hard Rock operate hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, convention facilities and other tourism assets.
This diversification makes the casino industry an important stakeholder in any national strategy to increase foreign tourism.
Next Steps or Impact
The US Government and tourism representatives will seek to maintain the coordination developed around the World Cup and improve conditions for international visitors.
Reaching 100 million annual tourists would require reversing the 2025 decline and attracting more than 30 million additional visitors compared with that year’s total.
For major casino operators, the strategy provides an opportunity to play a central role in US tourism policy while benefiting from stronger international visitation to destinations such as Las Vegas.
Editó: @fonta
