Salt Lake City — The International Inbound Travel Association (IITA) will hold its annual Summit in Salt Lake City, February 9-12, bringing hundreds of travel professionals together to do business creating experiences for international travelers visiting the United States. IITA represents U.S.-based inbound tour operators who sell U.S. destinations and travel products and services to international travel buyers, like tour operators, travel agents and business travel planners.
According to the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), more than 66 million international travelers visited to the U.S. in 2023, spending $213 billion. The travel trade, e.g. inbound tour operators and their international partners, generated about a quarter of all international visitation and travel spend and nearly 30% of overseas travelers (excluding Canada and Mexico) and their spending, underscoring the vital role of inbound travel trade.
“Utah welcomed nearly 130,000 international visitors in 2023, suggesting that there is significant room for growth. Visit Salt Lake and the Utah Office of Tourism have worked tirelessly to create a wide variety of city and state tours and activities to showcase the cultural, historic, and natural highlights unique to Utah,” said Lisa Simon, CEO of IITA.
“IITA members play a critical role in promoting the U.S. and facilitating visitation from growing and emerging markets, and during the Summit, they’ll have the opportunity to experience this great city first-hand.”
“Salt Lake is thrilled to welcome hundreds of travel professionals to our vibrant city! Inbound Travel Trade operators play a crucial role in sparking demand and driving international travel to the U.S., and we’re eager to showcase everything that makes Salt Lake extraordinary. From our rich culture and incredible cuisine to the unforgettable experiences that define our destination, we can’t wait to share the magic of Salt Lake during this conference,” said Anton Eckert, vice president of global tourism & travel trade at Visit Salt Lake.
In addition to business development, Summit attendees will learn about and discuss the latest global travel trends, including sports tourism, indigenous and youth markets, and industry best practices.
The International Inbound Travel Association is the trade association of the United States’ inbound travel industry. Its members are the leading U.S.-based inbound operators, which are companies providing B2B travel services to international tour operators and travel buyers around the world. Other members include U.S. destinations and suppliers that work in partnership with the international inbound travel trade.
For more information on the International Inbound Travel Association, membership, or its programs and services, please visit inboundtravel.org or email headquarters@inboundtravel.org.