Tour Operators Report Strong Growth, Increased AI Use at USTOA’s 2025 Conference

Industry professionals from around the globe are gathered in Maryland’s National Harbor this week for the annual United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) Conference and Marketplace, held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center from Dec. 1 to 5, 2025.

After a year of political and economic uncertainty, the theme this year is, appropriately, “courage.” USTOA President & CEO Terry Dale set the tone for this year’s conference with his own philosophy on how resilience and tenacity are the cornerstones of success.

“Work hard and opportunities will present themselves to you,” he told the attendees. “But you have to have the courage to recognize the opportunity and then the courage to seize it.”

The opening general session keynote speaker, American Paralympic athlete Blake Leeper (pictured), delivered a personal and inspiring talk on how adversity can be a catalyst for change. His story, and his message on the power of courage, moved the room. “Adversity is your advantage,” he argued, explaining that with the right focus, team, determination, and courage, anything is possible.

Dana Santucci, executive vice president of EF Education First and outgoing chairman of the USTOA’s Executive Committee, echoed this sentiment in her presentation.

“Courage isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it’s simply just showing up for one another,” she told the audience, encouraging the attendees to voice their opinions and collaborate within the industry.

Tour Operator Survey: Industry Growth & 2026 Predictions

The USTOA’s annual member survey reflects an industry that grew in 2025 and is poised for further growth in 2026.

Santucci revealed the results of the survey during the opening general session, with further details released later on Wednesday. The survey was conducted between September and October, 2025, with a 92% participation rate.

The survey found that over two-thirds (68%) of members saw year-over-year sales growth in 2025. Of those who did see growth, over half said the growth was by at least 10%. Over half of members (58%) also reported a growth in passengers.

Overwhelmingly, members told the USTOA that 2026 is promising: nearly 9 in 10 (88%) anticipate sales growth in 2026, and of that, more than half (55%) forecast growth of at least 7% compared to 2025. Passenger predictions were equally optimistic, with 84% stating they expected more passengers in 2026 and nearly half predicting that growth to be at least 7%. More than three-quarters (78%) of members are confident or highly confident that guest bookings will increase next year as well.

Looking at travel trends, members predicted that the products with the strongest passenger growth in 2026 will be small group tours, private groups, and FIT.

The most popular destinations for internatioal travel in 2026 are Italy, France, Japan, Portugal, and Greece, and the top “off-the-beaten-path” destinations are Portugal, Morocco, Croatia, Colombia, and, tied for fifth, Malta, Vietnam, and Ireland. Value and experiences offered were tied for the top spot as factors influencing what destinations travelers will choose in 2026, followed by safety/sexcurity, marketing awareness, and exchage rates/affordability.

“In today’s unpredictable global climate, our members continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience,” said Dale. “The impact of ongoing instability was felt, yet the majority of our membership still reported growth amid uncertainty and higher operating costs, which stands out. Travelers remain motivated to explore, and our tour operators are positioned to guide them with the expertise, trust, insight, and security that elevate the way they experience the world.”

The members also indicated that travel advisors will continue to play an important role in 2026, with 90% of members indicating they plan to utilize travel advisors in 2026, and more than three-quarters (78%) of members indicating that the role of the travel advisor will be important or very important to their business strategy in the coming year.

How AI Is Changing the Tour Operator Industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology was once again a hot topic. Not only did Dale open the conference with a video featuring AI-generated videos of historic figures, but the impact and changing role of the emerging tech came up repeatedly during the conference—both during general session on Wednesday and the Destination for Destinations Forum on Tuesday.

AI and tech-enabled travel planning was the top trend impacting travel in 2026, according to the USTOA member survey. This was followed by authentic, immersive, and experiential travel, and value and economy.

The USTOA’s survey also found that the tour operator segment is widely embracing AI tools. This year, 80% of members stated they are using AI as part of their business practices, which represents a staggering increase from just 28% two years ago.

The top uses for AI by tour operators includes marketing (73%), data, analytics, and business intelligence (66%), content and image creation (61%), and social media, customer service, and research (51%). More than half of members (57%) reported that AI adoption had increased efficiency/productivity.

In her portrait of a traveler presentation, Julie Averay Cuesta, the executive vice president, international marketing and communications at MMGY Global, touched on AI use. MMGY’s latest research found that Millennials are the heaviest users of ChatGPT and AI tools among U.S. travelers, and that chatbots and other automated tools are increasingly being utilized by destination websites and OTAs.

USTOA Announcements & Key Dates for 2026

Dale shared a brief update on the USTOA’s Breaking Bread pilot program, which was announced at last year’s conference. The plan for 2025 was to work with two destinations to address anti-tourism sentiment by starting conversations between the industry and concerned community members. Stating that it was a good “learning lesson,” Dale’s first attempts have not panned out; however, he said he still “hope” after discovering that Berlin Tourism has had great success with a similar project, its citizens’ advisory board.

Dale also announed that the SIR Summit, USTOA’s sustainability-focused annual event, will be held in Anchorage Alaska from May 17 to 21.

Other key dates for the USTOA include: the next conference, scheduled for Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, 2026 and to be held in San Francisco; the Out of Country Meeting is March 21 to 29, 2026 in Morocco; and the Congressional Caucus, June 2 to 3, 2026.