Hilton CEO Calls Out Slide in U.S. Tourism but Sees Economic Boost Ahead
Photo Credit: Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta speaking on-stage at the Punchbowl Conference on March 10, 2026. Skift
Skift Take
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said that over 30 years, the U.S. has allowed its share of global inbound tourism to collapse. Regaining ground in the global race for visitors could boost jobs.
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said Tuesday that the Iran conflict had "disrupted" the company's hotels in the Middle East, adding "noise" to an already volatile outlook. Yet at home, he said, longer-term economic forces could overpower short-term shocks.
"Obviously, in the last week or two, the Middle East business has been very, very disrupted, as you would guess," Nassetta said, speaking at the Punchbowl Conference in Washington, D.C. "We'll see how long that goes."
Rather than dwell on short-term geopolitical risk, Nassetta pointed to longer-term trends he implied would have more lasting importance.
A 30-Year CollapseNassetta warned that the U.S. has lost half its share of global inbound tourism in a generation.
The U.S. accounted for 10% of global inbound travel 30 years ago, he said. That share has fallen to about 5%, he said.
"If you said to me Hilton lost half its global market share, I'd have been fired a long time ago," he
