Search Results forBrand USA
Brand USA welcomes Elliott Ferguson as Chair
Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organisation, announced its new leadership and members who will make up its 2025 board of directors. Elliott Ferguson, chief executive officer of Destination DC, will serve as board chair for a one-year term. Ferguson was first appointed to the board in 2022 and most recently served as Treasurer. In addition to Ferguson serving as Chair, he will lead alongside Vice Chair Lauren Bailey, Treasurer Kristen Esposito, and Secretary Allen Orr. "Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has selected five outstanding industry leaders to join the Board of Directors and help guide Brand USA as it markets the United States as the premier travel and tourism destination around the world,” said Alex Lasry, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with Brand USA to advance the goals of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy and bring more international visitors to the United States to drive economic growth and support jobs across the country.” Brand USA is also pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors: Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton (representing Hotel Accommodations); and Gus Antorcha, president, Princess Cruises (representing Land or Sea Transportation). Additionally, Ferguson, Bailey and past-chair Todd Davidson were all re-appointed to serve a second three-year term. The 11-member board is appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce in consultation with the U.S. Secretaries of State and Homeland Security. Each director represents a travel and tourism industry sector and can serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms. The new board appointments come as Brand USA sets its sights on achieving the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy goal of welcoming 90 million visitors by 2027, which it expects to do one year ahead of schedule, in 2026. “My priorities align with Brand USA’s mission to welcome the world to the U.S. and generate incremental economic development,” said Ferguson. “We want the global community to know that the U.S. is welcoming, and we’re prioritising all things tied to making travel safe and easy for visitors to come here. I will work with the amazing team at Brand USA to focus on growth opportunities tied to international meetings, the recovery of the Asia market and areas of the world that haven’t been as emphasised. The diversity of our marketing is important from a competitive standpoint as we aim to reflect the U.S. as a welcoming destination with broad appeal.” The newly appointed [and re-appointed] members include: Reappointment: Todd Davidson, chief executive officer, Travel Oregon (State Tourism) Reappointment: Elliott Ferguson, president & chief executive officer, Destination DC (City Convention and Visitors’ Bureau) Reappointment: Lauren Bailey, chief executive officer and co-founder, Upward Projects (Restaurant) New Appointment: Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton (Hotel accommodations) New Appointment: Gus Antorcha*, president, Princess Cruises (Land or Sea Transportation) *Gus is a one-year interim appointment to fill Don Moore’s remaining term. "As we shift from international visitation recovery to growth and new records, we are privileged to work alongside this talented board including the new slate of officers and directors led by Board Chair Elliott Ferguson to help advance the vital work of promoting the U.S. to global travel audiences while positively impacting our nation's economy and at the same time, bolstering jobs,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of Brand USA. The complete list of the 2025 Brand USA Board of Directors can be found here and includes Allen Orr, Founder, Orr Immigration Law Firm; Kirsten Esposito, Principal, Esposito Global Partners; Mike Mangeot, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Tourism; Tim Mapes, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Delta Air Lines; Hari Nair, Global SVP & General Manager, Hotels.com (Expedia Group); and Stephanie Young, President, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures & Expeditions, and Disney Institute for Disney Experiences. Brand USA extends its gratitude to departing board members Don Moore and Mark Hoplamazian for their outstanding service and dedication. Their leadership has been instrumental in advancing our mission and their contributions will leave a lasting impact on our efforts to promote the U.S. as a premier travel destination. Alex Lasry, Brand USA
Brand USA Travel Week Europe goes to UK for second time
Brand USA Travel Week Europe 2020 will take place from 21-25 September. The biggest players in the US and European travel industries will gather once again to discuss trends, challenges, innovations and opportunities to increase international visitation to the US. The event is scheduled to take place at London's etc. venues County Hall. Registration is now open to exhibitors and buyers with exhibitor registration closing on 31 March and buyer registration closing on 17 June. Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer at Brand USA said: “Brand USA Travel Week Europe debuted to great success in 2019, showcasing the diverse range of travel experiences available throughout the US. Our travel week in Europe has improved the way the US travel community engages with the European market, fostering more authentic connections and business opportunities.” The 2020 event will offer curated one-on-one B2B appointments between US exhibitors and European buyers, a compelling and informative enrichment series. Christopher L. Thompson, president and CEO of at Brand USA said: “Putting the US firmly on the European stage in a truly unique business setting, the initiative positions it as a premier destination as we aim to increase visitation, spend, and market share.”
Brand USA concludes India Travel Mission
Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the US, organised their eighth annual India Travel Mission with an aim to educate the Indian travel industry on the potential of the US as a travel destination, plus build and renew relationships with their Indian trade partners. A delegation of 38 US companies and 53 delegates took part in this mission that travelled to Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi. Delegates, including representatives from tourism boards, hotels and receptive operators, among others, received an overwhelming response from the Indian travel trade with more than 820 people attending the multi-city business event. Commenting on the sales mission, Sheema Vohra, managing director of Brand USA in India said: “The 2019 Brand USA India Mission has been a remarkable event, with the engagement in each city generating noteworthy opportunities and avenues for future business expansion with our Indian partners.” The US has seen an upsurge in tourist arrivals from India. In 2018, a record 1.4 million Indians visited the US, positioning India at the tenth slot in terms of visitor arrivals. Moreover, Indians were ranked fifth highest in visitor spending in the US. Indians’ spend reached USD 15.78 billion in 2018 as compared to spends of USD 14.70 billion in 2017, more than several countries with higher arrival numbers to the US.
Brand USA Travel Week Europe future locations announced
Brand USA, during the opening address at the inaugural Brand USA Travel Week Europe, has revealed that the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands are the countries chosen to host the initiative between 2020 and 2025. The event will be an immersive celebration of the country, showcasing the diverse range of travel experiences available throughout the 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. In 2020, the event will once again be held in London. In 2021, it will be held in Germany, in 2022, the UK will host the event; France in 2023, again in the UK in 2024 and in the Netherlands in 2025. Christopher L. Thompson, president and CEO of the destination marketing organisation said: “Brand USA Travel Week Europe balances business-generating appointments with educational and inspirational speaker sessions, and engaging, networking events to maximize delegate satisfaction. Putting the US firmly on the European stage, the initiative positions the US as a premier destination as we aim to increase visitation, spend, and market share from across the continent.” The company also announced the expansion of its signature USA Discovery Programme, the online travel agent training platform, to France, Italy, and Spain. In the coming months, the company teams in these markets, with the French site also being promoted in Belgium and Luxembourg, will work with the travel trade, travel media, and Visit USA Committees to promote the travel trade tool for training agents on the diverse travel experiences in the US. Thompson added: “The expansion of the USA Discovery Programme across Europe is critical to Brand USA’s travel trade initiatives as agents on the continent are vital partners in promoting and selling travel experiences to the US.”
Brand USA celebrates destination storytelling at ESTO 2019
Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the US, announced winners of the first-ever Brand USA Video Storytelling Award during the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organization (ESTO) Destination Day. Christopher L. Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA presented the awards to representatives from Destination DC and New Mexico Tourism Department in recognition of their compelling and inspiring video content. In its inaugural year, the Brand USA Video Storytelling Award is an annual showcase of the best in video storytelling by destinations, attractions and points of interest across the US. The videos are featured on Brand USA’s GoUSA TV network and offer travellers an inside glimpse into their destination’s unique travel offerings and experiences. “Tourists are more inspired to travel by video than ever before,” said Thompson. “Destination DC and New Mexico Tourism Department represent the very best in video storytelling for our industry. Their work serves as an example of innovation and creativity in delivering stories to global audiences and inspiring them to visit the US."
John Herrington is keynote speaker at Brand USA Travel Week
Brand USA has announced John Herrington, the first native American astronaut, as one of the keynote speakers at the inaugural Brand USA Travel Week Europe in London from 9-13 September. He will be part of the event’s Enrichment Series, which comprises speaker sessions designed to encourage fresh thinking and stimulate discussions. The opening day of the event will be held at County Hall, a large event space situated on London’s Southbank with views of The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. Herrington will address 100 US exhibitors about his love for America’s great outdoors. A supporter of the national parks and green spaces in the US, in 2008, he completed a three-month 4,300-mile cross-country bicycle ride through the US from Cape Flattery, Washington, to Cape Canaveral, Florida. He will also feature as one of the US trailblazers exploring the country in Brand USA’s third film for theatres – ‘Into America's Wild’. Christopher L Thompson, president and CEO for Brand USA said: “Sharing his stories of challenges, leadership, motivation, and mentorship, Herrington will both educate and entertain attendees at the inaugural Brand USA Travel Week Europe. Offering our exhibitors, buyers, and sponsors a unique insight into his world is sure to set the perfect tone for what is set to be a game-changing week.” Brand USA Travel Week Europe 2019 provides a business platform for US suppliers to engage with major buyers from the UK and other regions of Europe, interested in increasing arrivals to the US.
The self-drive test-drive: we take the new Brand USA Itineraries website for a spin
Brand USA unveiled its travel trade website, dedicated to helping travel agents explore and promote US destinations in November. I feel that after a couple of months smoothing out the kinks it is time to try it out and see how well it all works. The site is optimised for mobile and tablet use - it's inconceivable for any website in 2018 not to be. So I decided to put VisitTheUSA through its paces on my iPhone, as a sneaky extra test of the 'intuitiveness' of the user interaction, as I have - up until the last couple of weeks - been an Android user for the last nine years. First impressions After punching VisitTheUSA.com/TravelTrade into Google, I was promptly taken to the mobile website. Which, Brand USA will be glad to know, loaded wonderfully quickly without any wait time. The opening screen is a clean orange and white interface which to urges to me to visit the USA - as it should. What you can't see in the above image is the seven white dots of a carousel / rolling display for swiping to other content, which works pretty well - but I did have to swipe more than once a couple of times. Is that down to me and my aging fingers or is Brand USA at fault? I tried a few other sites to see if I had the same issue but most mobile sites, the ones I frequent anyway, don't have a carousel, so I am giving VisitTheUSA the benefit of the doubt on this one. Trip planner As suggested, I took the home page's advice to "Try the new USA Trip Planner" and clicked on view more which took me to 'Trending destinations': I chose New York, and intuitively pressed down on the image of the Big Apple. Much to my expectation, I was taken to the 'New York City Trip Planner'; from there it was a matter of selecting from 'Best things to do in New York'. There are six different types of excursion, categorised as popular, museums, hidden gems, parks, side trips and shopping. Delving into 'popular' I counted 30 different locations, all of which break down into a seemingly endless number of ideas, all backed up with a nicely written description, pictures, trip information and a collection of reviews from TripAdvisor and Google. I also received a prompt to 'Create a full itinerary - for free'. This is a glorious section of the website to scroll through, full of interesting sights and attractions rounded out with appropriate and useful information. Travel advice Next up was the promise of information and advice for visiting the USA, including travel policies. I found that easily enough, in the top right hand menu found on all the pages. It was here that I encountered a few problems with the UI, however - that is, I would select USA Travel Information and Contact Us would open up. They might be close together but my fingers are not that chunky that I would repeatedly hit a menu item two notches away. However, once there, I was presented with a travel update section supported by links to governmental departments such as US Customs and Border Protection and US State Department. This was very useful but with the volatile nature of the USA's travel policies at the moment. I was not totally convinced this was up to date - which would make me go and do my own research anyway. Travel trade The final section I dug into was Travel Trade, crafted to give agents the resources needed to build their knowledge and become a US travel expert. This is another superb part of the website, bursting with options on travelling to the USA, visa and entry policies, domestic transportation. You can also view videos, research MICE activities and bone up on a list of receptive tour operators. You can see the list below: Conclusion Travel agency online travel tools are generally poorly executed, template driven canned elearning. VisitTheUSA makes good on its vision to bring a range of resources into one website. Brand USA has set a new benchmark for trade education and engagement. I am impressed with the number of listings for trips, experiences and getaways. I could lose myself for hours planning vacations and building itineraries. I will become a US travel expert by accident working my way through this thoughtfully constructed, interesting and useful platform. Brand USA has set a new benchmark for trade education and engagement.
Brand USA announces website for travel trade
Brand USA recently announced the launch of its trade website. The new online platform will act as a one-stop gateway for travel industry professionals looking to better sell the USA. Created for the travel trade, the website will be available from all mobile devices with intuitive navigation, and will have enriched content creative and up-to-date content. It will go live in January next year, and will bring a number of trade resources - which are currently on the Brand USA consumer and corporate websites - into a single, stand-alone space. Features include: Mobile-optimised, responsive design to enhance user experience across devices, including tablets and smart phones. Direct access to the Brand USA Trip Kit, including suggested itineraries (beginning in key gateway cities and expanding out to explore additional destinations) and photos. Expanded corporate calendar highlighting Brand USA's industry activities and signature events up to five years in advance Information and advice on visiting the USA, including travel policies Expanded directory of receptive tour operators Contact details for its international representation agencies New 'USA Trip Planner' tool The website can be accessed from January 2018 at VisitTheUSA.com/TravelTrade
Brand USA unveils UK & Ireland MegaFam 2018
Brand USA, in partnership with American Airlines and British Airways, has announced Nashville as the finale city where the next Brand USA UK & Ireland MegaFam will culminate on 3 May next year. Brand USA launches its MegaFam 2018 at WTM The dates and finale destination were unveiled during World Travel Market. With an agent capacity of 100, the MegaFam – a multi-destination familiarisation tour for travel agents from the UK and Ireland – takes place from 26 April to 4 May 2018 and, to celebrate its sixth consecutive year, will showcase the diversity of American culture through the lens of music. With more than 160 live music venues, a thriving culinary scene and a new flight route being launched by British Airways next year, Nashville is a truly vibrant MegaFam finale destination for all tastes and styles. As seven groups travel on brand new itineraries, each trip will explore some of America’s most musically rich destinations. Agents will be immersed in the landscapes and soundscapes of the USA, meeting visionaries, artists, music makers and innovators who are shaping the country’s culture today. The seven routes will be undertaken simultaneously and will provide agents with a fresh perspective on the USA before all groups fly into the city of Nashville for a finale event. Here, the agents will share their variety of experiences with the goal of educating other agents and enabling them to better sell the destinations upon return. At a meeting with Travel Daily Media at WTM, Anne Madison, chief strategy & communications officer at Brand USA said: "The reason these MegaFams are so great is that it simultaneously showcases various destinations working together rather than in completion with each other. It's a win, win, win situation." During their time in Music City, agents will also have the unique opportunity to attend a screening of America’s Musical Journey, Brand USA’s upcoming giant-screen film celebrating the cultural and musical treasures of the United States. The new film, expected to have a world premiere in February 2018, follows singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc as he explores some of America’s iconic cultural cities and traces jazz legend Louis Armstrong’s footsteps through the colourful locales where America’s music was born. Madison continued: "It celebrates music from the United States as a huge cultural programme. International travellers often know about the US through films and by using this platform, they can learn more about different places through music." Agents will be able to win a place on the UK & Ireland MegaFam 2018 by booking American Airlines and British Airways flights to the United States during the entry period starting from 1 December 2017 until 23 March 2018. To qualify, agents must also earn a number of USA specialist badges on the official agent training site, USADiscoveryProgram.co.uk. Itineraries and exact details of how agents can qualify to win a place on the MegaFam will be released later this month. From May 2018, British Airways will launch a five-a-week service to Nashville from Heathrow, Terminal 5 and will be the only airline flying direct between the UK and the capital of Tennessee. The new route takes the number of U.S. destinations the airline flies to from London in summer 2018 up to 26, and the number of daily flights offered by British Airways and American Airlines as part of their transatlantic joint business up to 67 per day. British Airways has launched more than 30 new routes across the globe this year including direct flights to New Orleans (Louisiana), Oakland (California) and Fort Lauderdale (Florida). To become a qualified USA Specialist and learn more about the Brand USA UK & Ireland MegaFam, agents in the UK and Ireland should visit USADiscoveryProgram.co.uk.
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