According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 34% of them are likely to take an overnight trip to attend sporting events, such as professional or college games.   And 20% of travelers say they likely will attend a FIFA World Cup match.

“Special events such as the FIFA World Cup, America 250 and the 100th anniversary of Route 66 will all motivate U.S. travel this year,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International.  “And 52% of travelers plan to travel overnight to attend cultural events, such as concerts and festivals.”

Nearly half (47%) of travelers are interested in touring Route 66 during its one hundredth anniversary this year.  The main reasons for those planning to travel Route 66 this year is to experience the natural beauty and historic significance along the legendary route and to enjoy a road trip with friends and family.

The survey, supported by Miles Partnership, was fielded February 3-5, 2026, using a national sample randomly drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 adults, ages 18 and over.  Quotas were used to match Census targets for age, gender, and region to make the survey representative of the U. S. population.

Longwoods International is a leading travel and tourism research consultancy with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio and Toronto Canada, and offices in Indiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.  It conducts Longwoods Travel USA®, the largest ongoing survey of American travelers, as well as image, advertising effectiveness, advertising return on investment, sentiment, and other custom research in 12 countries around the globe.

More Information – Longwoods International: https://longwoods-intl.com/category/american-travel-sentiment/  

More Information – Miles Partnership: https://www.milespartnership.com/

Press Contact:

Amir Eylon, President & CEO

Longwoods International 

614-570-1234