Brand USA Boosts Southeast Asia Travel to the U.S. with Inaugural Multi-City Sales Mission
SINGAPORE (April 28, 2026) — Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, has successfully concluded its inaugural Southeast Asia Sales Mission, held from April 20 to 24, 2026 across Taipei (Taiwan), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and Manila (Philippines).
The first-of-its-kind, three-country Sales Mission brought together ten U.S. partners and engaged more than 200 travel trade professionals across the region through a series of business-to-business (B2B) meetings, industry briefings, and networking engagements.
In Taipei, approximately 65 agents participated in the event, followed by 32 in Ho Chi Minh City and 45 in Manila, reflecting strong engagement from key travel trade partners across all three markets.
The Sales Mission also marked Brand USA’s first-ever engagement in both Ho Chi Minh City and Manila, reflecting a strategic focus on expanding its presence in high-growth Southeast Asian markets while reinforcing long-standing relationships in Taiwan.
Strengthening Engagement Across a High-Growth Region
Southeast Asia continues to represent a dynamic and high-potential region for inbound travel to the United States, with Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines playing an increasingly important role in driving international visitation.
In 2025, the United States welcomed 427,470 visitors from Taiwan, 127,056 from Vietnam, and 315,352 from the Philippines, supported by more than 234 weekly direct flights between Southeast Asia and key U.S. gateways.
Each market presents distinct strengths. Taiwan remains a mature, high-value outbound market with a well-established FIT segment and sustained demand for long-haul travel. Vietnam is an emerging market with a rapidly growing middle class and increasing interest in experiential travel. Meanwhile, the Philippines continues to demonstrate consistent outbound volume, driven by VFR, business travel, and rising demand for multi-purpose itineraries that combine leisure and cruise experiences.
This builds on Brand USA’s broader efforts to deepen engagement with the region, including the launch of its Global Ambassador Program in Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, introduced during the Sales Mission to equip travel advisors with deeper destination expertise and support long-term visitation to the United States.
Expanding Air Connectivity
The continued expansion of air connectivity between Southeast Asia and the United States is playing a critical role in improving accessibility and supporting travel demand across key gateways.
Recent developments include new routes from Taipei to Phoenix (PHX) by China Airlines and STARLUX Airlines, alongside EVA Air’s upcoming service to Washington, D.C. (IAD), launching July 3, 2026. In the Philippines, Philippine Airlines is increasing frequencies between Manila and Los Angeles (LAX). United Airlines has resumed services connecting Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles and San Francisco via Hong Kong, while Vietnam Airlines remains the only carrier operating non-stop flights to San Francisco, with four weekly services.
These developments reflect strong market confidence and are expected to further facilitate travel flows between Southeast Asia and the United States, particularly in the lead-up to major global events.
The United States Prepares for a Landmark Year
The Sales Mission comes at a pivotal time for the United States, with several landmark events on the horizon, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, America250 – the 250th anniversary of the United States – and the Route 66 Centennial.
These global milestones are expected to drive international interest and create opportunities for Southeast Asian travel trade partners to develop new itineraries that showcase the diversity of destinations across the United States.
“This inaugural Southeast Asia Sales Mission underscores the importance of the region as a key driver of inbound travel to the United States,” said Malcolm Smith, Senior Vice President, Global Markets & Chief Trade and Product Development Officer, Brand USA. “By engaging directly with our travel trade partners across Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, we are strengthening relationships, sharing insights, and creating new opportunities to inspire travel to the USA.”
“We are seeing strong momentum across Southeast Asia, supported by increasing connectivity, evolving traveller preferences, and growing interest in multi-destination and experiential travel,” added Suzy Shepard, Senior Director, Global Trade Development (APAC), Brand USA. “This Sales Mission has provided a valuable platform to deepen collaboration with our partners and position the United States for continued growth in the region.”
Participating U.S. partners in the Sales Mission include:
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Arizona Office of Tourism
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Choose Chicago
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Disney Destinations
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Explore Fairbanks
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New York City Tourism + Conventions
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Philippine Airlines
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TaxFree Shopping Ltd
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Tour America
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Travel Texas
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United Airlines
To learn more about Brand USA, visit TheBrandUSA.com. To start planning a trip to the USA, visit AmericaTheBeautiful.com.
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About Brand USA
Brand USA is the nation’s destination marketing organization, dedicated to attracting legitimate international inbound travel to strengthen the U.S. economy, increase exports, create quality jobs, and promote community prosperity. By running data-driven campaigns and unifying messaging across industry and government, Brand USA positions the United States as a top global destination while providing current visa and entry information.
Over the past 13 years Brand USA has driven 11.3 million additional international visitors who spent $38.1 billion in the United States, leading to $82.9 billion in total economic impact and sustaining an average of more than 40,000 jobs each year. These efforts have generated nearly $11 billion in attributable tax receipts at the federal, state, and local levels.
