European travelers embrace the California road trip dream

The spirit of the American road trip recently swept across Europe as Visit California joined Brand USA’s “Great USA Road Trip” roadshow, a two-week journey across eight countries designed to inspire international travel advisors and media to sell U.S. road trip experiences, with California and Route 66 at the forefront.

Visit California joined fellow Golden State destinations Santa Monica Travel & Tourism and Visit Pasadena, along with 14 other U.S. destinations, to showcase California’s world-famous drives and promote the upcoming Route 66 centennial in 2026. Over 14 days, the delegation engaged with 649 travel advisors and completed nearly 300 one-on-one appointments and networking interactions in Madrid, Milan, Zurich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin and London.

Travel advisors across all markets showed high awareness of California and its classic itineraries, especially Route 66, which holds strong appeal in countries like Germany, France, Ireland and the U.K. Many already sell parts of the iconic highway band are eager to enhance their offerings with deeper knowledge and new resources.

Most international visitors begin their road trips in San Francisco or Los Angeles, building out itineraries along Highway 1, through the deserts and national parks, and into other areas of the state and beyond. The Visit California Road Trips Hub was a valuable tool to introduce new routes beyond California’s gateway cities. In markets like Spain, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands, there was especially strong interest in road trip education and trade support.

Media interest was equally robust, with more than 100 stories published and an estimated reach of 142 million. With momentum building toward the 2026 Route 66 milestone, Visit California’s collaboration with Brand USA and other U.S. destinations helped ensure that California remains a cornerstone of the global road trip dream.