The newly appointed President of Visit USA Australia, Belinda Harvy is stepping into the role at a pivotal moment for outbound travel to the United States – bringing with her a strong sense of purpose, commercial focus and commitment to strengthening one of the US’s most valuable international visitor markets.
With deep experience across the travel and tourism industry, Harvy brings a practical understanding of what matters most to members, trade partners and travellers alike: strong industry engagement, effective advocacy and initiatives that convert inspiration into bookings. Her appointment signals a continued focus on ensuring Visit USA Australia remains a dynamic and valuable force for the Australian travel trade.
“As the newly appointed President of Visit USA Australia, it’s a privilege to be appointed at such an exciting time for our industry,” says Harvy. “I step into this role with enormous respect for the work of those before me, and with a very clear focus on what matters most – delivering strong commercial value for our members and ensuring the Australian travel trade remains one of the most productive and valuable partners for the United States market.”
That focus is backed by a strong market story. Positive momentum is returning for US inbound travel from Australia, in large part due to the strong interest in the FIFA World Cup amongst Australians, with preliminary June 2026 figures showing Australian visitation increased 5.6% compared to June 2025. This marks the first year-on-year increase in monthly arrivals since May 2025, signalling renewed confidence and growing demand for travel to the United States.
Australia also continued to strengthen its position as a key international market, ranking 8th for visitor arrivals in June. Year-to-date, Australia has climbed one place in the global rankings, moving from 12th to 11th, highlighting the resilience of the Australian market and its importance to U.S. tourism.
These encouraging results reinforce the strong appetite Australians have for visiting the USA and provide a positive outlook as the industry looks ahead to the second half of 2026.
The enduring appeal of the US for Australian travellers is also reflected in repeat visitation, with around 80% of Australian visitors returning to the destination. It is a remarkable sign of confidence and affinity, and one that speaks to the breadth of product the United States offers. From iconic cities and natural wonders to regional food, culture, drive holidays and major events, the US continues to reward repeat exploration.
Australian travellers also remain one of the highest-yielding long-haul inbound markets for the United States. They stay longer, travel further, visit multiple states and engage deeply with the destination – making them especially valuable to US tourism partners.
For Harvy, these figures reinforce the importance of Visit USA Australia’s role in championing the destination and equipping the trade with the tools to sell it effectively.
“At Visit USA Australia, our focus remains simple – supporting our members, educating and inspiring the travel trade, and helping drive bookings to the USA through initiatives like our Expo Series, PR programs and agent engagement activity,” she says.
Looking ahead, Harvy’s priorities centre on maintaining that momentum while ensuring the organisation continues to evolve alongside the market. Key areas of focus for the year ahead include delivering meaningful commercial outcomes for members, increasing trade education and engagement, and continuing to advocate strongly for travel to the United States in an increasingly competitive global environment.
This will include building on the success of Visit USA Australia’s established programs, while also identifying new opportunities to connect with frontline agents, strengthen industry partnerships and keep the USA front of mind for Australian travellers.
“And while the landscape is always evolving, we remain committed to being a strong advocate for travel to the United States and a valuable partner for this industry,” Harvy says.
Under Harvy’s leadership, Visit USA Australia enters its next chapter with confidence – grounded in strong market fundamentals, a loyal traveller base and a clear commitment to supporting members and growing demand for the destination across Australia.
For more
Click here to read Karryon’s coverage of Visit USA’s IPW 2026.
To find out more about how Visit USA Australia can support your travel business goals, visit their website here.
For agent resources, including webinars, training head here.
This article is brought to you by Visit USA.
