EPISODE · Jun 26, 2026 · 40 MIN
The World Cup's Most Unexpected Winner: America
from The Skift Travel Podcast · host Skift
The World Cup brought international visitors to America, expecting one thing and finding something completely different. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss the Knicks' championship, sports tourism, viral European road trips across America, and why the World Cup may be reshaping global perceptions of the United States in real time. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Knicks Drought Ends 00:58 Vacation and Intro Banter 01:58 Plane View and VPN Save 05:05 NYC Street Watch Parties 07:42 World Cup Overlap Logistics 10:30 Tourists Love Middle America 13:47 Brand USA Reset Moment 15:25 Why Americans Feel Friendly 18:11 DMOs and Small Town Appeal 20:08 Prediction on Inbound Rebound 20:33 Olympics Travel Momentum 21:38 Politics Off The Feed 22:35 Buc-ees Goes Viral 24:53 Most American Experiences 28:06 Rediscovering Niagara Falls 30:32 Early Hotel Data Boost 32:50 Winners And Losers 33:18 Mexico Sargassum Crisis 36:49 Cenotes And Closing
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The World Cup's Most Unexpected Winner: America
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