With international arrivals dropping and US tourist spending down $12.5 billion in early 2025, the stakes for sustainable tourism have never been higher. This analysis tracks the shift from aspirational frameworks to hard accountability, examining how legislative pressure and platform changes are forcing a transition from voluntary certification to structural expectation.

Destination Forward: Advancing Stewardship in U.S. Tourism Planning is the most comprehensive national study of its kind, analyzing 35 destination stewardship plans across the U.S. Led by the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies in collaboration with Coraggio Group, the report reveals how communities are reimagining tourism to prioritize sustainability, equity, and resident well-being.