A return to the helm of Brand USA
Announced in Washington on 5 October 2026, the appointment of Caroline Beteta takes effect on 9 November. In September she stepped down as President & CEO of Visit California, a role she had held for nearly 30 years. She already knows Brand USA from the inside, having previously served as Chair of its Board of Directors and as Acting CEO.
Todd Davidson, Chair of the Brand USA Board of Directors, stressed the continuity of the appointment, noting that Caroline Beteta has led the organisation before, knows its partners and its mission, and built Visit California into one of the most respected destination marketing organisations in the world. He added that her return comes at a pivotal time, as the organisation works to secure its reauthorisation.
A mission centred on “reauthorisation” (see box)
Brand USA exists only by virtue of a law, and that law has an expiry date. The organisation was created by Congress as a public-private partnership, with a time-limited authorisation. Its current eight-year authorisation expires on 30 September 2027. Without a fresh vote in Congress before then, Brand USA would have to cease operations. This is why “reauthorisation” is Caroline Beteta’s sole priority.
Funding has already collapsed. Brand USA’s federal funds come from ESTA fees paid by travellers from visa-waiver countries. These funds matched, dollar for dollar, the private contributions made by partners. The 2025 budget law (the “One Big Beautiful Bill”) cut this federal cap from around €86 million ($100 million) to around €17 million ($20 million) a year. The total budget fell from around $252 million to around $158 million. The cut led to the elimination of 12 positions (around 15% of the workforce) and the closure of the GoUSA TV channel. Contributions from private partners have also fallen sharply.
The political outlook is uncertain. The Visit USA Act, a bipartisan bill, seeks to restore the $100 million and extend the organisation’s existence. However, it faces opposition from Senator Ted Cruz, Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. The 2026 electoral calendar and the departure of Fred Dixon add further uncertainty.
Caroline Beteta has set out the scope of her mandate herself. “My focus will be singular: securing Brand USA’s reauthorization,” she said, adding that her aim is to ensure this critical organisation can continue its mission of welcoming the world to the United States.
She underlined the economic weight of international inbound travel, which she regards as vital to the US economy, to communities and to the country’s global competitiveness. She intends to work with the board, the team and industry partners to see the process through.
Analysis – This renewed focus comes against an unfavourable backdrop for international demand. In the spring, international visitor arrivals fell by more than 14% year on year in April, as La Tribune de l’Hôtellerie noted in its analysis of the decline in international tourism to the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup. For hotel operators and investors, Brand USA’s ability to secure its operating framework has a direct bearing on winning back long-haul travellers.
Twenty-eight years at the head of Visit California
Caroline Beteta led Visit California from January 1998 to September 2026. Alongside this, she served the State of California as Deputy Secretary for Tourism and later as a strategic advisor to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Under her leadership, Visit California established the first statewide tourism assessment programme in the United States, opened international offices and launched global marketing campaigns. The organisation also led the industry’s recovery from wildfires, recessions and the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Visit California, California’s tourism industry now directly supports 1.2 million jobs and generates more than €129 billion ($150 billion) in annual visitor spending.
A figure closely associated with the creation of Brand USA
Her ties to Brand USA go back to the organisation’s founding. As national chair of the U.S. Travel Association, she helped bring together the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable, and laid the groundwork for the creation of Brand USA.
She went on to serve Brand USA as Vice Chair of Operations, then as Chair of its Board of Directors, and subsequently as Acting CEO. At national level, she was appointed by the Secretary of Commerce to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and has served on the executive committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council. She was inducted into the U.S. Travel Association’s Hall of Leaders in 2016.
Fred Dixon heads to New York
Caroline Beteta succeeds Fred Dixon, who will leave Brand USA on 13 November after just over two years as President & CEO. On 1 December he will become President & CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, marking his return to New York.
Fred Dixon noted that Caroline Beteta helped create Brand USA, has led it successfully before, and knows its stakeholders, its markets and the reauthorisation process well. He has committed to working with her to ensure a smooth transition.
An organisation with measurable economic weight
Brand USA’s role is to attract international visitors to the United States through data-driven campaigns and by aligning messaging between industry and government. It also provides up-to-date information on visas and entry requirements.
Over the past thirteen years, the organisation says it has generated 11.3 million additional international visitors, who spent around €32.8 billion ($38.1 billion) in the United States. Total economic impact is estimated at €71.3 billion ($82.9 billion), with more than 40,000 jobs supported on average each year and nearly €9.5 billion ($11 billion) in attributable tax receipts at federal, state and local level.
These figures should be seen in the light of the United States’ weight in global tourism investment: it was the leading market in 2025, according to the latest WTTC data analysed by La Tribune de l’Hôtellerie.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Caroline Beteta returns to lead Brand USA as interim CEO
Appointed Interim President & CEO of Brand USA, effective November 9, 2026
Led Visit California from 1998 to September 2026; former Brand USA Board Chair and Acting CEO
Single priority: securing Brand USA’s reauthorization
Succeeds Fred Dixon, who becomes President & CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions on December 1
Brand USA claims 11.3M additional international visitors and $82.9B total economic impact over 13 years
