by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:20 PM ET, Wed May 8, 2024
Los Angeles, California — The annual IPW convention has officially wrapped up after four busy days filled with U.S. destination events, activations, and press conferences.
Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) from across the United States were represented at the massive annual gathering, as were members of the press from around the world.
The IPW convention provided one news headline after another as travel industry press were given the chance to hear from the leading U.S. destinations about new and noteworthy tourism happenings.
From Massachusetts to Washington D.C., Utah and beyond, there’s a lot on tap in 2024, 2025, and 2026 when it comes to U.S.-destination news. Here’s a round-up of just a few of the destination takeaways from IPW 2024.
Utah
At the Utah media briefing, DMO representatives touted the state’s completely redesigned Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). Over the last several years, the facility has undergone full reconstruction to incorporate 21st Century technology, sustainability, and convenience features throughout.
Utah officials say the airport is now a destination in its own right and a place to be enjoyed, rather than simply endured.
Highlights include plugs at every seat in the airport to charge devices and reimagined food concessions operated by local restaurants, where food can be purchased at “street prices” (meaning the same price you’d pay for food outside the airport).
Travelers passing through SLC will also be surrounded by Utah-inspired art and décor that’s designed to make time spent at SLC far more relaxing.
Construction work at the airport has been conducted in phases. More gates were added to SLC’s Concourse A East in 2023 and the next phase of work in 2024 will include a new "Central Tunnel" connecting SLC's A and B concourses via people movers that are surrounded by unique art installations. In the future, SLC airport will also feature five more new gates on Concourse B, as well as 12 new concessions.
And finally, as part of Phase Four of the unfolding project, another 16 gates will be added to SLC’s Concourse B.
The state’s DMO representatives said all of the new gates will be especially important when Utah hosts the Olympics once again in 2034.
Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is preparing to host a variety of tourism events in 2025, most notably World Pride.
Elliot Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C., told the media that World Pride "is a big deal for us, as the global community will come to Washington."
“The thing I love about events like World Pride is that it is really inclusive of all communities," added Ferguson. "It’s an opportunity for us to focus on things that are important to us: equality, freedom and progress. Things that are a part of the American fabric and things that happen in Washington on a regular basis.”
Come 2026, the United States will be celebrating its 250th anniversary from coast to coast and Washington D.C. will play a significant role in those festivities, said Ferguson.
“We will not only talk about what happened 250 years ago, but will also focus on the history of America — the good, the bad, the indifferent — and how it makes us who we are today,” Ferguson said. “Washington will play a huge role in welcoming the world and celebrating all of America’s history.”
Museums, attractions, restaurants, hotels, and theaters in D.C. will be involved in the celebrations.
One more noteworthy tourism tidbit for the nation's capital: Ferguson said there are 25 new rooftop dining experiences in Washington D.C. For a city where no building is taller than 13 stories (similar to Paris, France) that means rooftop dining experiences provide outstanding views.
“If you’re on a rooftop in Washington, you’re going to see amazing vistas and areas of our city,” said Ferguson.
Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company at an IPW 2024 press conference (Photo Credit: Photo by Mia Taylor)
New York City
New York City remains a global capital for many things, but there are a few areas in particular that are worth noting for the coming years. They include: arts and culture, history and sports, said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company.
“When it comes to arts and culture there’s a pretty remarkable slate of offerings this year and beyond — from major anniversaries, to new openings and renovations, there are so many new things for visitors to experience,” said Dixon.
The iconic Met is hosting a new exhibit titled The Harlem Renaissance and TransAtlantic Modernism, which will be in place through July 28. The exhibit showcases about 160 works that look at the ways Black artists depicted the modern life of African Americans between the 1920s to 1940s.
The 81st Whitney Biennial is also underway, titled Even Better Than the Real Thing, and runs through August 11. Meanwhile the Museum of Natural History is opening a new exhibit on May 9 titled Ice Cold, which showcases hip-hop jewelry from some of the industry's most iconic and legendary artists.
New York City Broadway Week will return this fall, offering two-for-one tickets from September 3 through 15th. NYC Off-Broadway Week will take place later in the fall.
Come 2025, New York City will be celebrating a major milestone — the 400th anniversary of the city being founded.
“When we think about our history, Boston and Philadelphia, of course, play a major role in the founding of our country,” said Dixon. “But America began in many ways, as a country, in New York City.”
In fact, the Big Apple was actually the first capital of the United States and was also the home of the first U.S. Congress, as well as the place where George Washington was inaugurated.
“In honor of these milestones, we’re going to celebrate and encourage visitors to explore all the ways New York City has made history and continues to do so,” said Dixon.
NYC & Company representatives revealed at IPW that there will be a new immersive tourism campaign launched to mark the city's 400th anniversary. The campaign is titled “Founded By NYC" and will include events, content, and promotions and community initiatives to celebrate hundreds of years of history.
“Content to inspire the trade in thinking about itineraries and how you are going to talk about these anniversaries and why people should come explore our history is now live” Dixon said, on the DMO’s website.
Consumer marketing will come next year.
Massachusetts
Notable news from Massachusetts includes the state hosting seven FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 at Gillette Stadium (the line-up includes quarter-finals stages). Watch parties and other festivities will be held in Boston throughout the FIFA tournament.
The same year, The Bay State will also welcome crews and cadets from all over the world for the return of tall ship fleets as part of Sail Boston. The city is an official part of Sail 250, a global gathering of tall ships celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
In other Massachusetts news, Logan International Airport has added a variety of new airlift. There are new routes now open from Mexico aboard AeroMexico; from Vienna, Austria with Austrian Airlines; from Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, and JetBlue now provides expanded service from Boston to Dublin, Paris, and Amsterdam, said Kate Fox, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.
Also, this summer the state is launching a new marketing strategy that will focus on "the rich and authentic history found throughout Massachusetts to share both where we have been and where we are going,” said Fox.
“We will use the themes of independence and revolution to share the historic, cultural, creative, and natural destinations across the state,” said Fox. “And we hope to inspire future travel to Massachusetts.”
There will be museum exhibits, historic reenactments, musical performances, walking tours, lectures, hikes, and adventures all focused around celebrating the past, present and future of Massachusetts.
Tennessee
Tennessee has a new tagline: Tennessee Sounds Perfect.
The line is meant to underscore how music plays a role in nearly every visitor's experience of the state.
“We know from our big cities, to our charming communities, to the rolling hills, to the scenic beauty to the family adventure - [it’s all] infused with music that creates a vacation that just sounds perfect,” said Mark Ezell, commissioner with the state of Tennessee Department of Tourism Development.
Underscoring that point, Ezell pointed out that more songs are written, produced, and played live in Tennessee than in any other place in the entire world.
Commercial marketing based on the state's new tagline launched this spring, featuring advertising spots with songs by artists like Dobie Gray and The Everly Brothers.
Even before rolling out its new campaign, Tennessee’s tourism industry was hitting record levels. Tennessee has been outpacing every single state in the nation on visitor growth since 2019, Ezell said.
Also new from Tennessee, the state has just launched a new tourist attraction called “Bike Tennessee.”
There are 52 road cycling sites throughout the state that are part of Bike Tennessee. The sites have been designed to “help people - and the growing community of cyclists - come to America and explore the back roads and the byways, the big cities and the charming communities that are there in Tennessee and make Tennessee so unique,” said Ezell.
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