What Is Us Travel Association

Interior of U.S. Travel Association headquarters in Washington, D.C. The US Travel Association is the national non-profit organization representing all components of the American travel industry. Its mission is to increase travel to and within the United States, thereby fueling economic growth. In practical terms, U.S. Travel serves as the united voice for more than 1,000 member organizations—from airlines and hotels to cruise lines, convention centers, tour operators, and state tourism offices. These members span all segments of travel (leisure, business, meetings, events, and international inbound), making U.S.

Travel a powerhouse advocate for an industry that contributes over $1.3 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. The association conducts research, builds partnerships, hosts major events, and lobbies policymakers on behalf of its members. In short, the U.S. Travel Association works “to establish travel as essential” and help the industry thrive.

History and Mission

U.S. Travel has roots in earlier industry groups. In the late 2000s, existing organizations like the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and the Travel Business Roundtable merged into what is now U.S. Travel. Today, its mission is clearly stated: “to increase travel to and within the United States, and in doing so, fuel our nation’s economy and future growth”. The association pursues this by:

Advocacy: Championing policies that make travel easier and more affordable (visa reforms, secure travel programs, etc.).
Research & Insights: Publishing economic data and forecasts (e.g. the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard) to inform members and policymakers.
Events & Training: Organizing major events and seminars to market travel and educate industry professionals (see below).
Coalitions & Networking: Uniting thousands of travel leaders through councils, committees, and partner coalitions.

This broad mission means U.S. Travel tackles high-level challenges (like legislative issues) while also helping members with practical tools and connections.

Membership and Industry Impact

The US Travel Association represents virtually every segment of the domestic travel industry. Member categories include:

Airlines: Major carriers and regional airlines.
Hotels & Lodging: Global hotel chains (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, etc.), resorts, and destination properties.
Cruise Lines: Ocean and river cruise companies.
Car & Transport: Rental car companies and other ground transport providers.
Tour Operators & Agents: Travel agencies and tour organizers.
Meetings & Conventions: Convention centers, meeting planners, event venues.
Tourism Organizations: State tourism offices (via the National Council of State Tourism Directors) and destination marketing organizations.
Technology & Services: Companies providing travel-related technology and services.

Across these sectors, U.S. Travel emphasizes the scale and economic impact of travel. For example: “Travel is an economic powerhouse” in every state. Indeed, the association notes that the U.S. travel industry generates over $1.3 trillion in economic output annually. It supports millions of jobs—recently, Travel Week’s 2024 statistics highlighted 15 million U.S. travel-related jobs and $2.9 trillion in industry output. Travel’s economic footprint spans across restaurants, retail, transportation, and even tech and manufacturing. In short, members of U.S. Travel belong to a deeply interconnected, high-impact industry that is integral to nearly every community and sector in America.

Member Benefits: Being part of U.S. Travel gives companies a stronger collective voice and valuable resources. Key advantages include:

Advocacy Power: Members help shape national policy. As one U.S. Travel membership brochure puts it, joining gives you an “amplified voice” on industry issues.
Industry Data & Research: Exclusive access to surveys, reports, and the US Travel Insights Dashboard.
Networking: Connections to peers and leaders via events like IPW, ESTO, summits, and various councils.
Business Opportunities: Showcasing products to buyers (at IPW), and partnerships with Brand USA for international marketing.
Visibility: Promotion in U.S. Travel publications, news releases, and media outreach.

Overall, U.S. Travel “prioritizes high-impact issues” for its membership. It identifies opportunities (like inbound tourism growth) and challenges (e.g. travel security) and then steers industry effort to address them.

Leadership and Board of Directors

U.S. Travel is governed by a combination of staff executives and an industry-led board.

President & CEO: Geoff Freeman – A veteran industry lobbyist, Freeman rejoined U.S. Travel in 2022 as its President and CEO. He had worked at U.S. Travel in the 2010s before leading other trade groups. Freeman leads the association’s staff and represents U.S. Travel publicly.
Executive Board: The Board of Directors consists of top executives from across the industry. For example, Bill Hornbuckle (CEO of MGM Resorts) serves as the National Chair. Other board leaders include Caroline Beteta (President & CEO of Visit California) and Casandra Matej (President & CEO of Visit Orlando) as Vice Chairs. The Immediate Past Chair is Chris Nassetta (President & CEO of Hilton).
Board Composition: In total, over a dozen officers and board members from airlines, hotels, tourism boards, and other segments help guide U.S. Travel. The association website describes this cohort as “powerhouse travel leaders” who direct strategy.

The Executive Board ensures U.S. Travel’s strategy reflects industry needs. Board meetings and committees allow member companies to steer initiatives. In short, governance is industry-driven, while the CEO and staff manage day-to-day operations.

Major Events and Initiatives

U.S. Travel Association runs several signature events each year. These serve to market the U.S. to the world, educate members, and advocate policy. Key events include:

IPW (International Pow Wow) IPW is U.S. Travel’s premier inbound travel trade show. Held in different U.S. cities (2025’s in Chicago, June 14–18), IPW brings together hundreds of American travel suppliers with thousands of international buyers and media. In fact, U.S. Travel bills IPW as “the leading international inbound travel trade show, driving $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States”. The scale is immense: over 1,000 U.S. companies and nearly 6,000 global buyers attend, making 100,000+ business appointments. Visitors from IPW typically spend an estimated $26.1 billion in the U.S. over three years. In short, IPW “showcases U.S. suppliers” to a global audience, helping to boost inbound tourism. (The association and its sponsor Brand USA jointly promote the country’s travel offerings there.)
ESTO (Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations) ESTO is an annual conference for U.S. destination marketing and state tourism offices. Branded as “the industry’s must-attend event” for destination marketers, it provides learning, networking, and awards. U.S. Travel’s own portal notes that “ESTO is open to state and destination tourism offices in the United States and its territories”. In practice, ESTO features keynote speakers, training sessions, and the ESTO Awards. It focuses on sharing trends and best practices in tourism marketing, aligning with U.S. Travel’s mission to grow domestic tourism. (For example, the 2025 conference will be in Phoenix, with themes around innovation and leadership.)
Other Events
- Destination Capitol Hill: This U.S. Travel-led event brings industry leaders to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress on travel issues (visas, funding, etc.).
- National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW): A yearly celebration (established by Congress in 1983) that takes place in May. It highlights travel’s economic impact—today supporting ~15 million U.S. jobs and nearly $3 trillion in output. U.S. Travel coordinates NTTW activities, urging communities to mark #NTTW25 (May 4–10, 2025) to “celebrate an industry that fuels opportunity”.
- Global Meetings Industry Day: An annual industry-wide event (organized by global meetings associations, but U.S. Travel often participates) to raise awareness of business events’ impact.
- Summer Summit, Travel Action Network Summits, etc.: Additional conferences on sales, marketing, and policy topics.

Each of these events underscores U.S. Travel’s role. They either market U.S. destinations (IPW, Brand USA, NTTW) or build the industry’s skills and influence (ESTO, Capitol Hill).

Advocacy and Industry Initiatives

A core function of the U.S. Travel Association is policy advocacy. The association lobbies federal and state governments on travel-related issues. Some highlights:

Legislative Achievements: Former U.S. Travel leaders (notably Geoff Freeman during his earlier tenure) were instrumental in the passage of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, which created Brand USA (the official tourism marketing arm). U.S. Travel also campaigned for efficient security screening; its work helped shape programs like TSA PreCheck.
Policy Priorities: U.S. Travel regularly publishes a Policy Priorities list (e.g. on transportation funding, visa reform, border security, COVID recovery measures). The association describes its approach as developing “messages and actions to establish travel as essential”. It coordinates coalitions such as the Travel Action Network and Meetings Mean Business to amplify key issues.
Political Action Committee (TravelPAC): The association operates TravelPAC, which supports pro-travel candidates for U.S. Congress.
Research & Data: U.S. Travel commissions economic impact studies (e.g. every two years it releases an “Economic Impact of Travel” report, like the 2023 edition showing travel’s contribution to GDP). These stats bolster its advocacy.

Through these efforts, U.S. Travel aims to ensure that lawmakers and regulators understand travel’s economic importance. Its tagline emphasizes being the “united voice of the industry”, shaping Washington policies to favor travel and tourism.

Careers and Jobs

The US Travel Association careers page emphasizes a values-driven, collaborative workplace. The headquarters is located in downtown Washington, D.C.. (Staff currently work on a hybrid schedule, in-office Tuesday–Thursday and remotely Monday/Friday.) U.S. Travel actively recruits for roles in research, policy, communications, events, and membership services.

Why work there? The organization advertises excellent benefits and culture. As noted on their site, employees enjoy:

Comprehensive Healthcare (including fertility coverage).
Generous Paid Leave: Family leave, personal days, and more.
Professional Development: Education assistance and training support.
Other Perks: Snacks, lunches, wellness initiatives, transport/cellphone benefits.
Collaborative Culture: A diverse and inclusive environment valuing each staffer’s contributions.

Open positions (subject to change) are posted on the U.S. Travel website’s Careers section and on job boards. For anyone seeking to work in travel policy and advocacy, U.S. Travel Association jobs offer the chance to impact an entire industry.

Programs and Member Benefits

Beyond advocacy, U.S. Travel runs practical programs that benefit members and consumers:

Daily Getaways: An annual online travel deal marketplace. Each spring, the U.S. Travel Association’s Daily Getaways offers deeply discounted packages from travel brands. Offers have included hotel loyalty points, theme park tickets, vacation packages and more, often at up to 50% off. This program (running since 2010) encourages domestic travel by letting consumers purchase travel products at a bargain. Members and the public alike use Daily Getaways to jumpstart summer travel plans.
Meetings Mean Business Coalition: An initiative (under U.S. Travel’s umbrella) uniting the meetings, exhibitions, and events industries to promote in-person business travel and events.
Travel Action Network: A grassroots advocacy network (also under U.S. Travel) that mobilizes industry employees and executives to contact lawmakers on travel issues.
Brand USA Partnership: U.S. Travel works closely with Brand USA (the public-private tourism marketing arm) to coordinate international promotion. Brand USA is even a sponsor of IPW.

These programs demonstrate how U.S. Travel adds tangible value: from helping sell loyalty points to ensuring free-flowing border policies. Members get program access and exposure; the public gains perks like discounted travel deals.

Related Associations

Several other associations serve specific niches in travel. It’s helpful to distinguish them:

US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA): Despite the similar name, the USTIA is a separate nonprofit for travel insurance providers. Founded in 2004, USTIA represents insurance carriers, agencies and administrators (covering ~90% of the travel insurance market). U.S. Travel Association does not directly involve travel insurance; USTIA lobbies for industry standards in travel protection products.
American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA): For travel agents and advisors, the leading industry group is ASTA. The ASTA website calls itself “the world’s leading association of travel professionals” and the “global advocate for travel agencies”. In other words, ASTA functions as the U.S. travel agency association, representing the interests of travel agents (where U.S. Travel represents the broader travel industry). ASTA focuses on issues like credit card fees, tax rules, and professional development for advisors.
Other Groups: There are associations for particular segments – e.g. the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), state tourism coalitions, and even Travel Tourism Councils. However, U.S. Travel Association is unique in covering all industry segments under one roof.

Finally, note that “Travel Associates US” is not an official industry group. It appears to be a private travel agency brand and is unrelated to the trade association’s work. People searching for Travel Associates US or US Travel Agency Association are generally referring to consumer-facing travel agencies, not the policy group.

Headquarters and Contact

The US Travel Association headquarters is in Washington, D.C. – specifically at 1899 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 11th Floor. This downtown office houses the advocacy and events teams, conveniently across from Capitol Hill. The association’s phone is listed as 202-408-8422 and media or general inquiries are routed through its contact form.

For more information, any traveler or industry professional can visit ustravel.org, which contains resources, news, and member directories.

Get Involved & Share Your Thoughts

Are you a travel professional or enthusiast? The U.S. Travel Association offers many ways to engage:

Attend Events: Consider participating in IPW, ESTO, or local “Meet the Members” events.
Join Committees: Member companies can serve on U.S. Travel committees (Policy, Marketing, Hospitality, etc.) to help craft solutions.
Spread the Word: If you found this overview useful, share it on social media or with colleagues. Do you have questions or experiences with U.S. Travel? Comment below and join the conversation! Your insights help paint a fuller picture of this influential organization.
Stay Updated: Follow @USTravel on Twitter/LinkedIn for the latest news, and check out their newsroom for press releases and updates.

By building awareness of the US Travel Association’s role, we strengthen our collective travel industry.

Schema-Friendly FAQs

What is the U.S. Travel Association?

Answer: The U.S. Travel Association is the leading non-profit industry association for travel and tourism in America. It represents all parts of the travel sector (airlines, hotels, etc.) and advocates for policies to grow travel. The association’s mission is to increase travel to and within the U.S., thereby boosting the economy.

What is the U.S. Travel Association IPW?

Answer: IPW (formerly “International Pow Wow”) is U.S. Travel Association’s flagship trade show. Held annually, it connects U.S. tourism suppliers with international travel buyers and media. IPW is credited with generating billions in future U.S. tourism. For example, U.S. Travel notes IPW’s economic impact at $5.5 billion, and projects attendees will spend ~$26.1 billion in the U.S. over three years.

What is ESTO in the U.S. Travel Association?

Answer: ESTO stands for Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations. It is an annual U.S. Travel conference aimed at destination marketing professionals and state tourism officials. The program offers sessions on marketing, leadership, and best practices. U.S. Travel’s site explains that ESTO is “open to state and destination tourism offices” and is the premier conference for destination marketers.

What are Daily Getaways?

Answer: Daily Getaways is an annual deal program run by the U.S. Travel Association. Each spring, it offers discounted travel packages (hotel points, park tickets, etc.) from major travel brands. U.S. Travel says the program launched in 2010 and provides “exclusive offers from major travel brands – offering discounts up to 50% off” for travelers planning vacations.

Who is Geoff Freeman at the U.S. Travel Association?

Answer: Geoff Freeman is the President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. He was appointed in 2022 (after a nationwide search) and began on September 1, 2022. Freeman has previous experience leading U.S. Travel and other trade organizations, and he now leads the association’s efforts to advance the travel industry.

What is the U.S. Travel Insurance Association?

Answer: The U.S. Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) is a separate trade group, not run by U.S. Travel Association. Founded in 2004, it is a nonprofit representing insurance carriers and agencies that sell travel insurance. USTIA’s members cover about 90% of the travel insurance market. It focuses on promoting travel insurance education and model laws. (In contrast, the U.S. Travel Association deals with general travel policy and marketing, not insurance.)

What is Travel Associates US?

Answer: “Travel Associates USA” or “Travel Associates US” typically refers to a private travel agency or membership club, and is not connected to the U.S. Travel Association. The U.S. Travel Association is an industry advocacy organization. If you see the term Travel Associates US, it’s best understood as a standalone travel agency entity, not an industry trade association.

What is the U.S. Travel Agency Association?

Answer: This term often refers broadly to associations serving travel agents. The main U.S. travel agency trade group is ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors). ASTA calls itself “the global advocate for travel agencies”. So you could consider ASTA as the U.S. travel agency association. It is separate from the U.S. Travel Association, which represents the whole travel industry.

What is the U.S. Travel and Tourism Association?

Answer: This phrase is sometimes used informally to describe the U.S. Travel Association, but the official name is U.S. Travel Association. Regardless of wording, it refers to the same organization dedicated to promoting travel and tourism in the U.S. The association’s work covers both travel and tourism policy, so “travel and tourism association” is conceptually fitting, even if not in the official title.

Who sits on the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors?

Answer: The board comprises top industry leaders. The current National Chair is Bill Hornbuckle (MGM Resorts CEO). Other officers include Caroline Beteta (Visit California) and Casandra Matej (Visit Orlando) as Vice Chairs, and Chris Nassetta (Hilton) as Immediate Past Chair. Geoff Freeman (President/CEO) also serves on the executive committee. In total, dozens of executives from airlines, hotels, tourism offices and related sectors guide U.S. Travel’s strategy.

What careers are available at U.S. Travel Association?

Answer: U.S. Travel offers roles in areas like advocacy, public affairs, research, event management, and communications. The association highlights competitive benefits (healthcare, paid leave, professional development) and a collaborative culture. Open positions are listed on the U.S. Travel careers page and on industry job boards. The organization emphasizes a hybrid work policy (office in DC, remote flexibility).

What is the U.S. Travel Association headquarters address?

Answer: The U.S. Travel Association’s headquarters is located at 1899 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 11th Floor, Washington, DC 20006. This is where the association’s staff and executive offices are housed. The D.C. location allows easy access to policymakers and industry partners.

How does the U.S. Travel Association support the travel industry?

Answer: In summary, U.S. Travel supports the industry by advocating policies (visa reform, infrastructure funding, etc.), providing data and research (economic impact studies), hosting events (IPW, ESTO), and uniting members through coalitions and programs. Its efforts aim to increase U.S. travel and tourism, which in turn drives jobs and economic growth nationwide.

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