Partnership with Kingfisher, editorial series on Route 66 centennial are among the new initiatives.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in data-driven rankings and consumer advice, today announced that it is continuing to expand its Travel vertical with exciting new initiatives – including a partnership with Kingfisher Strategy Agency, a consultancy focused on connecting data to drive destination marketing strategy. U.S. News is also planning editorial features around significant upcoming milestones and events, such as the Route 66 centennial and the 2026 FIFA World Cup*.
“With global travel surging and milestone events creating new reasons to explore, travelers are turning to U.S. News for trusted rankings and expert insights to make the most of every trip,” said Carson Smith, U.S. News’ general manager, Travel. “Now is the time to invest in our Travel vertical – expanding our tools, editorial content, and strengthening our leadership position in the travel industry.”
Led by tourism industry veterans Ted Sullivan and Dave Bahlman, Kingfisher specializes in serving the evolving needs of destination management organizations and departments of economic development by taking the growing amount of data sets, insights and research and connecting them strategically to help create and drive individual destination marketing approaches.
“U.S. News Travel provides a wealth of data-driven rankings and information to consumers, making this partnership with Kingfisher a great fit. We’re thrilled to work with them as we seek to provide DMOs and other travel marketers with targeted advertising solutions to meet their marketing objectives,” Smith added.
“This is an incredible brand to bring under the Kingfisher banner,” said Sullivan, general partner of Kingfisher. “A household name with fantastic travel content which offers us potential in all destination markets we serve. The U.S. News & World Report range and assets will bolster our core offering and further define our footprint in destination strategy.”
In addition to this partnership with Kingfisher, U.S. News Travel will launch special editorial sections to commemorate 100 years of Route 66, as well the FIFA World Cup coming to North America in 2026, with a focus on travel in conjunction with these events.
U.S. News is also gearing up to launch the 15th annual edition of Best Hotels on February 11. The 2025 rankings highlight over 31,000 hotels across more than 400 destinations to help travelers find the hotel that suits their needs. U.S. News also publishes Best Vacations, Best Cruise Lines and Best Travel Rewards Programs rankings.
