International Hotel Industry Coalition Calls for Long-Term United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Extension
World Cup Underscores Importance of Trade Policies Supporting Cross-border Exchange
Following the conclusion of the 2026 tri-national World Cup games, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Hotels Canada, and the Hoteles Por México together called for a long-term extension of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), underscoring that the prosperity of the North American hospitality industries is deeply interconnected and depends on policies that facilitate cross-border travel.
The successful hosting of the world’s largest sporting event across Canada, Mexico, and the United States highlighted the strength of a unified North America and the vital role of seamless travel between the three countries. With more than six million fans attending matches, hotels and local businesses welcomed the influx of visitors, underscoring how travel drives economic growth, supports millions of jobs, and strengthens the interconnected hospitality industries and economies of all three countries.
A long-term extension of USMCA builds upon this momentum by providing the certainty businesses need to invest, strengthen integrated supply chains, support workforce mobility, and keep North America globally competitive as a destination for business and leisure travel.
“A strong North American partnership provides certainty for businesses, helps keep travel affordable, and strengthens one of the world’s most integrated travel economies,” said Rosanna Maietta, President and CEO of AHLA. “As discussions continue on the future of the USMCA, we urge negotiators to build on that momentum by advancing a long-term extension of this landmark agreement.”
“Our three countries have an opportunity to build on the relationships and economic momentum created by this historic event,” added Beth McMahon, President and CEO of Hotels Canada. “Extending CUSMA will provide the long-term stability needed to strengthen travel, facilitate investment, and support cross-border supply chains to ensure North America remains the world’s leading destination for business and leisure travel.”
“Travel is one of North America’s greatest shared economic strengths. By extending the USMCA, our three countries can continue to grow together – supporting jobs, expanding tourism, strengthening supply chains, and creating new opportunities for communities on both sides of every border,” said Jorge Paoli Díaz, President of Hoteles por México.
The USMCA also strengthens the resilient supply chains that hotels rely on every day. From food and beverage products served in hotel restaurants to furnishings, linens, and operating supplies, cross-border trade helps ensure reliable access to essential goods while keeping costs manageable for hotels and travelers alike.
Additionally, the agreement supports workforce mobility across North America. Provisions that facilitate temporary business travel, including the availability of TN-1 visas for hotel managers, help hotels recruit experienced leaders, share expertise across borders, and develop the skilled workforce needed to meet growing demand.
Background:
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North America is one of the world’s largest tourism markets. In 2025, the United States welcomed 68.3 million international visitors, Mexico welcomed 47.8 million international visitors, and Canada welcomed 19.8 million visitors, demonstrating the collective scale of our integrated travel economy.
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Tourism is a major employment engine in North America. Mexico’s tourism industry supports 5 million jobs, making it the country’s largest employer of young people and second-largest employer of women. In the United States, hotels support more than 9 million jobs and in Canada, hotels support 320,000 jobs.
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Travel amongst the three countries represents a significant share of this economic engine in 2025:
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In Canada, visitors from the US spent $12.5 billion USD and visitors from Mexico spent $481 million USD.
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In the United States, visitors from Canada generated $18.5 billion USD in visitor spending and visitors from Mexico generated $10 billion USD in visitor spending.
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In Mexico, visitors from the United States generate nearly USD $18.6 billion USD in tourism revenue across all travel segments, while visitors from Canada generated USD nearly $4.3 billion USD, according to STARC.
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Cross-border travel drives economic growth. Mexico generated $34.9 billion USD in international visitor spending, the U.S. generated $176 billion USD in international visitor spending, and Canada generated $23 billion USD.
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Travel facilitation is an economic competitiveness issue. Modernizing cross-border mobility, digital travel processes, and trusted traveler systems will benefit tourism, trade, investment, and business travel across the USMCA region.
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