La crisis presupuestaria de Brand USA y el proyecto de ley que podría restablecer la financiación

Key Points

• Brand USA's federal funding was sharply reduced in 2025, prompting bipartisan legislation (the Visit USA Act) to restore support for the next two years.
• The organization plans to focus nearly all of its 2026 marketing budget on 12 key international markets, with special emphasis ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
• Brand USA has faced repeated threats of budget cuts or elimination since its creation, with funding partially sourced from ESTA fees paid by international visitors.

Summary

Brand USA, the United States’ national tourism marketing organization, recently faced significant federal funding cuts, reducing its matching funds cap from $100 million to $20 million. In response, a bipartisan group in Congress introduced the Visit USA Act to restore funding to previous levels for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, citing the importance of robust tourism marketing ahead of major events like the 2026 World Cup. Brand USA plans to concentrate its marketing efforts on a select group of international markets, but the organization has a history of facing threats to its budget and existence from lawmakers since its establishment in 2009.