On Tuesday afternoon at the National Constitution Center, Mayor Cherelle Parker conducted hundreds of Philadelphia’s tourism and hospitality industry leaders.
“We are ready,” she said. “Let me hear you say, Philly is ready.”
While excitement is building for the FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star game and celebrations surrounding America’s 250th birthday, outside forces — primarily emanating from the White House — threaten to blunt the economic impact of the long-awaited 2026 festivities.
Not long after Parker left the stage, attendees at the 2026 Tourism Outlook, hosted by Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), heard from Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics.
Less than two years ago, the firm predicted that international travel to Philadelphia International Airport would reach pre-COVID levels by 2025. Instead, as President Donald Trump’s second term began, trips from abroad dipped sharply; now, Tourism Economics does not expect full pandemic recovery until 2030.
Estimates indicate that international travel to Philadelphia was down nearly 14% last year, including a staggering 23% decline in Canadian visitors, Sacks said.
“Apparently, Canada does not want to be the 51st state, and they are letting us know,” he quipped.
In 2024, more than 535,000 Canadians visited the city, spending $235 million, representing the largest foreign tourism market, according to PHLCVB.
“These are shifts in the market, and while many factors are out of our control, how we respond to them is not. And there is still strong business to be had,” PHLCVB President and CEO Gregg Caren told the audience. “Because, quite frankly, shame on us if we don't approach this summer as a major opportunity, the major opportunity to continue to influence perceptions.
“The World Cup matches coming here are not just competitions. They are global moments for us, and our goal should be simple, that people watching this global commercial say, ‘I want to go there. I need to go there.’”
Sacks believes 2026 will be a “turn toward growth.” Tourism Economics is projecting a 4.5% year-over-year increase in international trips to Philadelphia, including a 4.1% bump in tourists from Canada. Inbound international flight bookings for June are already up nearly 12% compared to the same month in 2025.
Local hotels and travelers should expect a 2.8% boost in occupancy, along with higher revenues and daily rates, Sacks said.
Rising fuel prices, tariffs and high costs for everyday items are dragging the economy as a whole, especially for those in the lower third of the income bracket, he added.
However, the tourism industry relies on wealthier clients, and that group is poised to benefit from recent federal fiscal policies, Sacks explained. Nationally, households making more than $150,000 a year account for 19% of the population but 51% of the spending on lodging, according to his presentation.
“For travel, things look good,” he added. “We see the prioritization of experiences, the K-shaped economy, where our higher income customers, where we are concentrated as an industry, are positioned to do well and to continue to travel.”
Visit Philadelphia and PHLCVB leaders are hoping that 2026 serves as a springboard for future tourism growth. Next year, the Army-Navy football game returns, and the city is set to host the NCAA men’s and women’s lacrosse championships. Philadelphia is also a finalist for the 2028 Democratic National Convention.
