Live From IPW: From Vegas Vision to National Mission, Bill Hornbuckle's High-Stakes Bet on American Tourism

What happens when a casino CEO takes on America's tourism challenges? In this IPW 2025 episode,  recorded live from the conference floor in Chicago, MGM Resorts CEO and U.S. Travel Association Chair Bill Hornbuckle sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran to discuss the state of international inbound travel. Hornbuckle has watched Vegas transform from a "free food, free rooms, come gamble" destination to a sports and entertainment hub where, for hotels like the Bellagio, 70 percent of its revenue is non-gaming. Now he's applying those lessons to America's bigger challenge: turning a $50 billion tourism deficit into a surplus while preparing for major events like the World Cup and America's 250th anniversary. With Chinese visitors down 50 percent, lengthy visa wait times, and travelers facing hours-long immigration lines, Hornbuckle argues that America's fragmented approach to tourism—spread across multiple government departments—is holding the nation back. His solution mirrors what worked in Vegas: bringing everyone together behind a unified vision. What You’ll Learn How spending in Vegas has changed since the 1980s What major sports events are coming to Las Vegas in 2025, 2026, and beyond.  That funding the FAA is crucial for increasing inbound international tourism How long it can take for a train line to open without public sector support That the U.S. tourism sector needs government support to survive Key Moments [04:45] In the 1980s, 80 percent of revenue was tied to the casino and 20% to rooms; today 70 percent of revenue at the Bellagio, for example, is not related to the casino. [09:51] How can the tourism industry work with the government to ensure visas are processed faster and airport lines move more quickly? [13:45] The Brightline train connecting LA and Las Vegas is $10 billion project 25 years in the making.  [16:52]: The U.S. Travel Association wants visitors to know that, despite the rhetoric people may hear, they’re very welcome. Featured Topics The way travel to Vegas has evolved in the past few decades The U.S. travel industry needs significant government support to continue The essential need for visitors to feel welcome, starting with faster visa processing How critical it is to have enough staff at airports across the country Resources Read the transcript of this episode Learn more about the U.S. Travel Association Find U.S. Travel Association on Instagram and Facebook Previous Episode: Angela Val on how Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy, is for everyone. Up Next: Adam Burke, CEO and President of Los Angeles Tourism. Complete Series: View From Afar Stay Connected Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all 20 IPW episodes this week. Follow @AfarMedia on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes IPW content. Sign up for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. Explore our other podcasts, Travel Tales, where we share first-person narratives of trips that have changed us, and ⁠⁠Unpacked⁠⁠, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week. This IPW 2025 special series was recorded live in Chicago. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media’s podcast network (email [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices