The International Inbound Travel Association (IITA) recently launched an International Readiness Training Program, a national initiative designed to prepare U.S. destinations, tourism suppliers, and local businesses to effectively welcome and serve international visitors in advance of a series of global events beginning in 2026.

Developed in collaboration with Destinations International (DI), Alon Tourism Solutions, and the U.S. National Travel & Tourism Office (NTTO) and informed by engagement with the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup, the program provides practical, actionable training to help communities across the country prepare for the anticipated surge in international visitation during the 6-week tournament. 

With millions of global travelers expected to visit the United States — many for the first time — the program focuses on ensuring destinations are ready not only operationally, but culturally and strategically, to deliver a world-class visitor experience. 

IITA recently offered a free core training session focused on the needs of global travelers and strategies to maximize tourism opportunities for Host Cities, Base Camp Destinations, and surrounding communities. A recording of the March 25, 2026 session is now available, covering the following topics:

Please share with your community stakeholders.

Access the Global Football Tournament International Readiness Recording

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You can download the session PowerPoint presentation below.

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International Readiness – Round 2: Leveraging Global Sports Tourism  

We will be offering another free session on May 7 at 1 PM ET, focused on leveraging the international appeal of sporting events to drive inbound travel.

This one-hour Round 2 session builds on foundational International Readiness training with a deeper dive into how sports tourism drives international travel behavior — and how destinations and tourism businesses can strategically position themselves to benefit.
Participants will explore:

• How global sporting events influence international travel decisions, itineraries, and spending patterns
• The role of sports as a gateway to broader destination discovery
• Strategies to extend stays beyond match days and distribute visitors across regions
• How to make sports-related and complementary experiences discoverable through the international travel trade 

REGISTER FOR MAY 7 SESSION

Designed for DMOs, inbound operators, tourism leaders, suppliers, and frontline stakeholders, this session will provide actionable insights to help destinations not only prepare for upcoming global events, but also navigate current travel dynamics and position themselves for sustained international growth.