New York, Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco are competing for travellers as the US tourism market enters a more event-driven and internationally focused period. Each destination is responding to changing visitor patterns with different strategies, from travel promotions and international marketing to major sporting events, conventions and citywide tourism campaigns. For travellers, the changing landscape is creating more reasons to compare destinations before booking a US trip. New York is targeting Canadian visitors with discounts across hotels, attractions, restaurants and entertainment, while Las Vegas is also working to rebuild Canadian demand. Seattle has benefited from a major events calendar, including the FIFA World Cup, while San Francisco is recording stronger visitor spending supported by conventions and global events.
New York Targets Canadian Travellers
New York City is strengthening its tourism appeal as Canadian travel patterns change. Canada remains one of the city’s largest international markets, with approximately 820,000 Canadian visitors forecast for 2026. A dedicated promotion launched in August offers discounts across participating hotels, attractions, Broadway shows, restaurants and museums, creating new incentives for travellers planning late-summer trips.
The city expects 66.3 million visitors in 2026, representing a projected 2% increase from 2025. International visitation is forecast at 12.9 million, while domestic travel is expected to reach 53.4 million visitors. Hotel demand also remains a major component of the city’s tourism economy, with 38.1 million room nights sold in 2025.
For travellers, New York continues to combine accommodation, dining, entertainment, museums, shopping and major attractions within a single urban destination. The current Canadian-focused promotions add another consideration for visitors comparing travel costs.
Las Vegas Works to Recover Canadian Demand
Las Vegas is facing a different tourism challenge, with Canadian visitors becoming an important focus for hotels and destination marketers. Canadian visitation to the destination has declined, prompting tourism businesses to introduce promotional offers designed to encourage travellers to return. Recent initiatives have included hotel deals, travel packages and incentives aimed specifically at the Canadian market.
The Canadian market is significant for Las Vegas because visitors typically contribute to accommodation, dining, entertainment, gaming and attractions during their stays. The destination’s strategy is therefore centred on restoring travel confidence and making trips more competitive for Canadian customers.
For international travellers, Las Vegas continues to offer a concentrated combination of hotels, entertainment, restaurants, conventions and attractions. Promotional campaigns can influence the overall cost of a visit, particularly when accommodation and air travel are booked together.
Seattle Benefits From Major Events
Seattle is experiencing a strong tourism year following a busy events calendar. The city and King County recorded 39.6 million visitors in 2025, with visitor spending reaching $8.8 billion. Tourism supported more than 68,000 jobs, while preparations for six FIFA World Cup matches placed the destination in an international travel spotlight.
The effect of major events has become particularly visible during summer 2026. Downtown Seattle recorded more than 3.7 million unique visitors in July, exceeding the same month in 2019 by 12%, while hotel demand also reached levels above the pre-pandemic benchmark. The FIFA World Cup contributed to the increase, alongside strong waterfront activity.
Travellers visiting Seattle can combine major-event travel with the city’s established attractions, waterfront areas, museums, neighbourhoods and outdoor experiences. Event dates can also affect hotel availability, transport demand and accommodation prices, making advance planning important.
San Francisco Builds Tourism Through Events
San Francisco is using conventions and major events to strengthen visitor demand. The city’s 2026 tourism forecast places visitor numbers at about 24.4 million, with visitor spending approaching $9.94 billion. The convention calendar at Moscone Center includes 38 events expected to generate more than 656,000 room nights.
The city’s events programme has included Super Bowl LX, FIFA World Cup activity and the Pokémon World Championships, while upcoming conventions such as Dreamforce are adding further demand. The Pokémon World Championships alone are bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the city during the current August event period.
International travel is another important part of San Francisco’s recovery. Overnight international visitors to San Francisco and San Mateo counties are expected to increase, with international spending also forecast to rise. Canada, India, the United Kingdom, China and Mexico are among the destination’s leading international markets.
Four Cities, Four Tourism Strategies
The changing tourism landscape puts four major US destinations on different paths. New York is using targeted promotions and a broad urban attractions portfolio. Las Vegas is focusing on rebuilding an important Canadian market. Seattle is benefiting from major sporting events and strong visitor activity, while San Francisco is relying heavily on conventions, international travel and a packed events calendar.
For travellers, the result is a broader choice of city experiences and more promotional activity. Hotels, airlines, attractions and tourism businesses are adjusting to changing international demand, while major events continue to influence where visitors travel and when they book.
As international travel patterns evolve, New York, Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco are demonstrating how major US destinations are adapting their tourism strategies. For visitors, the competition is increasingly visible through events, travel deals, accommodation availability and destination-specific campaigns.
