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Trump Enlists Casino Industry in Push to Surpass France as Top Global Tourist Destination
Posted on: September 3, 2026, 08:57h.
Last updated on: September 3, 2026, 11:16h.
Key Points
- President Donald Trump met with travel and casino executives to discuss boosting U.S. international tourism to 100 million annual visitors by 2030
- MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle urged Trump to ease visa and travel policies, saying the 100 million-visitor goal could create 400,000 jobs
- The push comes after Las Vegas saw overseas visitors drop 14.7% in 2025 to 2.2 million
President Donald Trump welcomed tourism leaders to the White House on Wednesday (Sept. 2), with several of the casino industry’s biggest players among those at the table.
Trump met with the US Travel Association, led by Geoff Freeman, who previously headed the American Gaming Association (AGA), along with executives from MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Hard Rock, in the Oval Office.
The focus of the gathering was finding ways to grow tourism in the aftermath of the successful 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Freeman set an ambitious goal of attracting 100 million international visitors by 2030. The US welcomed 68.3 million foreigners last year, a 5.5% decline from 2024. The federal government blamed Canada, with visits from the neighboring country dropping an estimated 20%.
If the 100 million mark is met, the US would approach France, which welcomed 103 million foreigners in 2025, as the world’s most visited country. Trump cheered Freeman’s goal, perking up in his chair upon hearing that France would be dethroned as the tourism king.
The president, who once owned casinos in Atlantic City and on Lake Michigan, believes Las Vegas and the country’s many casino destinations can help achieve the tourism target.
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.
Freeman, whose time at the AGA coincided with the US Supreme Court overturning the federal ban on sports betting, told the president that the World Cup was a riveting success thanks to Trump.
“It’s because of policies you implemented on the visa side, on the customs side. We welcomed millions of travelers this summer. They got to see everything the country has to show off, and it made Americans feel a sense of pride. We think we can keep this momentum going,” Freeman said.
Gaming Industry Seeks Administration Partnership
MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle was asked to deliver remarks on behalf of the casino gaming industry. The man who oversees Nevada’s largest employer told the president that while the World Cup was good for the country, things aren’t so good in Las Vegas and other key casino markets.
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.
Hornbuckle thanked the president for “No Tax on Tips,” a component of the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill that allows tipped workers to deduct up to $25,000 of their 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.
Las Vegas Visitation
According to the International Trade Association, Las Vegas ranked sixth in overseas visitors last year with 2.2 million travelers. Las Vegas’ 2025 number of overseas visitors represented a 14.7% year-over-year decline, or a loss of approximately 380,000 travelers.
Top US cities for overseas visitors included New York (8.9M), Miami (5.1M), Orlando (4.3M), Los Angeles (3.7M), and San Francisco (2.4M).
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