Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau and Chair of the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission

Cory M. Jobe is President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau and Chair of the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission. In these roles, he’s helping position Illinois for a landmark travel year in 2026—when the Route 66 Centennial, America 250, and the FIFA World Cup converge into a once-in-a-generation cultural moment for domestic and international visitors. 

In his forecast, Jobe encourages tour operators, travel advisors, and group planners to start building Route 66 programming now—securing inventory early (especially in smaller markets) and creating themed experiences that blend heritage with fresh storytelling. With Chicago as a global gateway and Illinois’ first 301 miles of the “Mother Road” serving as a natural starting point, he sees the Centennial as an opportunity to elevate Route 66 into a centerpiece of American travel—mile by mile, story by story, group by group.

Visit KC and KC Sports Commission

Kathy Nelson is the President and CEO of both Visit KC and the Kansas City Sports Commission—and a driving force behind Kansas City’s rise on the global stage, including helping secure FIFA World Cup 26™ matches for the region. A veteran communicator and storyteller with leadership experience across media and sports marketing, Nelson has helped deliver major wins like the 2023 NFL Draft while positioning Kansas City as a can’t-miss American destination defined by soccer passion, Midwestern hospitality, barbecue, and world-class jazz.

As Kansas City prepares to welcome the world, Nelson is using the World Cup as a catalyst to strengthen the travel industry for the long term—expanding group-travel support, launching a new travel trade website with ready-made cultural itineraries, and partnering across the region to make multi-city planning easier. Her focus blends big-event excitement (including the official FIFA Fan Festival™ at the National WWI Museum and Memorial) with practical traveler priorities like affordability, accessibility, and improved visitor services—ensuring Kansas City’s “Heart of America” story resonates in 2026 and well beyond.

Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department

Todd Stallbaumer is the Consumer & Trade Marketing Director for the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department, where he leads efforts to promote the state’s attractions to travelers and the travel trade—with a major focus on Oklahoma’s 400-mile stretch of historic Route 66 and its upcoming Centennial.

In his perspective on the 2026 Route 66 Centennial, Stallbaumer positions Oklahoma as the “center of the rediscovery” thanks to its long, highly drivable portion of the Mother Road and deep cultural ties to the route’s history. He highlights significant state investment—nearly $30 million in grants to date—helping refresh attractions, restore neon, and elevate interpretation, turning Oklahoma into a living showcase of Route 66 culture that’s easier than ever for tour operators to package into high-value itineraries.

Stallbaumer encourages planners to treat 2026 not as a single-year moment, but as a launchpad for trips into 2027 and beyond—building themed departures (heritage, culinary, music, outdoor, small-town Americana) and multi-state route segments that don’t require “doing it all” in one trip. With collaboration “in our DNA,” he underscores Oklahoma’s commitment to working alongside DMOs, attractions, and hospitality partners to help group operators deliver seamless, memorable Route 66 experiences for the next hundred years.

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Rita McClenny is President & CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), the state agency responsible for promoting the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination and film production location. She’s helping position Virginia—“the birthplace of America”—as a must-visit centerpiece for America’s 250th anniversary, building on globally recognized branding like “Virginia is for Lovers” and the commemorative message “America. Made in Virginia.”

McClenny is advancing a statewide approach to VA250, empowering local storytelling through the VA250 Tourism Marketing Program (supporting community-led projects across Virginia’s 90+ counties), while also elevating a slate of signature events—from the Virginia International Tattoo and Sail 250’s tall-ship celebrations to major programming in Colonial Williamsburg and the state’s iconic presidential sites.

For group travel, she emphasizes Virginia’s ability to package history with lodging, dining, and outdoor culture—and she’s investing in legacy experiences that keep history interactive and accessible, including a mobile VA250 museum that brings the story directly to communities across the state.

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Annie Jirapatnakul is the Global Tourism Sales & Services Manager at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), where she has spent the past 15 years advancing from intern to a leadership role promoting Philadelphia to the group travel marketplace.

In her outlook for 2026, Jirapatnakul spotlights Philadelphia as a rare “milestone year” destination—pairing America’s 250th anniversary celebrations with the city hosting six FIFA World Cup matches, including a Round of 16 match on July 4 that coincides with the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration. She encourages tour operators to lean into this overlap to create once-in-a-lifetime itineraries built around history, global energy, and Philadelphia’s walkable neighborhoods and food culture.

She also points planners to practical advantages: partnering early with destination experts like PHLCVB for guidance and hotel RFP support, and leveraging legacy projects and new attractions coming online. Highlights include revitalization work at the historic 9th Street Market, fan-festival-driven improvements at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park, and headline exhibits such as The Declaration’s Journey at the Museum of the American Revolution (open through January 2027) and Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition debuting in early 2026 at The Franklin Institute.