The Seattle Tourism Boom Behind a World Cup Summer | Live From IPW 2026

Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Visit Seattle president and CEO Tammy Canavan sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran for one of our most timely travel industry interviews yet: a look at the Seattle tourism surge heading into a World Cup summer, and why first-time visitors keep leaving surprised. Tammy came to Visit Seattle after destination roles in Monterey, Tacoma, and Vancouver, and she has spent the last four years steering a city in the middle of a growth moment. In that time the convention center opened its new Summit building, Sea-Tac expanded its international network, and the downtown waterfront was completely rebuilt. In this episode, Tammy and Michelle discuss: Why Seattle tourism is booming, from a record cruise season of two million passengers as the American gateway to Alaska, to a walkable downtown built around transit and nature What World Cup visitors will find this summer, including a walk-to-the-stadium downtown, a car-free Unity Loop through the neighborhoods, and fan zones spread across the city instead of one The myth of the rainy city, and why the reality is closer to an Evian mist than a downpour How regenerative and sustainable tourism became central to the Seattle brand rather than an add-on Why the city's collaborative, long-term civic culture keeps a mid-size destination punching above its weight Tammy's message from the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board on inbound travel, the chilling effect of a proposed visa integrity fee, and why restoring Brand USA funding matters for markets like India This is one in a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded live at IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, sustainable tourism, and the travel industry challenges facing inbound U.S. travel. For a clear read on Seattle tourism at a pivotal moment, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping the future of travel. Resources Visit Seattle A guide to Seattle's waterfront reinvention Afar's guide to Seattle Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar 00:01:30 Why Seattle, Why Now 00:04:00 The World Cup Surprise 00:06:30 What Travelers Need to Hear 00:08:00 A Waterfront, Reconnected 00:09:30 Beyond Pike Place 00:11:30 The Perception Problem 00:14:30 A Civic Renewal 00:17:30 Seattle's Quiet Joy Stay Connected Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 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 and ⁠Unpacked⁠. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. 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