VISIT USA NOW! ISSUE 95 | NOVEMBER 2011 Visit the USA – new and coming soon Look out for your personal copy of


the 68-page Visit the USA with the December edition of Selling Long Haul. Copies will also be available at World Travel Market (November 7-10). Visit the USA is the new title for the long-standing Visit USA Travelplanner, but the fresh name also marks some important changes to the Visit USA Association’s annual guide. With a welcome from the American Ambassador in the UK, Visit the USA now contains 20 pages of themed features which can help agents and consumers choose the type of US holiday that suits best. Themes include families, couples, fly/drive, shopping, scenic splendours, adventure and golf. The handy map of the USA not only


now shows key cities and time zones but also America’s major national parks. Other sections include five pages


of tour operator information showing which of 14 different types of holidays they offer; a guide to all 50 US states; general tourist information including details on ESTAs, visas, public holidays, etc; and a full listing of all Visit USA Association members. Additional copies will be


available through the Visit USA Association’s brochure request line on 0870 777 2213 or vusa@bhpdirect-mail.com www.visitusa.org.uk


Hop to Kissimmee


Agents can learn all about Kissimmee, which bills itself as ‘The Heart of Florida’, in an innovative and fun way and at the same time put themselves in the frame to win a holiday for four by playing ‘Holiday Hopper’, a new online game at www.holidayhoppers.co.uk Holiday Hopper sees users explore Kissimmee’s many attractions by travelling through the virtual world on varying modes of transport, such as driving a stylish Corvette, flying a Kennedy Space Shuttle or a British Airways plane. The highest scoring player (in the


quickest time) will win the prize: four British Airways return flights from London-Gatwick to Orlando International, a week’s car hire, from AVIS, and accommodation in Kissimmee’s luxurious Westgate Resorts. Each participant will receive a Play for Less Card providing discounts in central Florida. The game also showcases some of Kissimmee’s top attractions like Boggy Creek Airboats, Chelsea Premium Outlets, Cruise America, Fantasy Surf, Florida EcoSafaris, Florida Mall and Westgate Resorts. www.visitkissimmee.com


40 November 2011 • www.sellinglonghaul.com Alabama blazes tourism trail Alabama’s rising visitor numbers are


being fuelled by the innovative Robert Trent-Jones Trail, which is 20 years old next year, writes Steve Hartridge. The trail, which was built using funds


from the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) that manages pensions for around 350,000 employees and retirees, was created when 26 courses, at 11 different sites, were built across the state. Golfers can plan a holiday using the


trail, which stretches for over 400 miles from the rolling hills in the north of the state to the Gulf Shores around Mobile in the south. Green fees range between $50-$125,


which represents some of the best value for quality golf in the USA. And along the way they can stay in a collection of top Marriott and Renaissance hotels also built and managed by the RSA. The brainchild behind the trail and


CEO of RSA, Dr Bronner, told Visit USA Now! that tourist dollars spent in the state have risen from $1.8 billion in 1990 to a projected $10 billion in 2011. “Twenty years ago Alabama faced an


identity crisis. It was virtually unknown internationally and for Americans it was mostly little more than a place to pass through while travelling on to another destination,” he said. ‘Through the trail we have gone from literally no hotels worth a visitor’s


November is the perfect time to visit


the USA for some pre-Christmas bargains, so check out the latest available deals on flights and hotels. Coupled with very competitive exchange rates, your customers can combine visiting some great cities and do some retail therapy and fill up those Christmas stockings. The day after Thanksgiving (referred to


as ‘Black Friday’) is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, and the ‘official’ kick-off for holiday shopping in the US. On this day, Premium Outlets is opening all of its centres as the clocks strike midnight, just after the end of Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 24). Stores also feature special sales all weekend for added savings. For truly dedicated shoppers not wanting to miss a minute of the action, many area hotels are joining in the excitement of Midnight Madness to offer overnight Shop & Stay packages. Visit www.premiumoutlets.com/travel and click on the centre you are travelling to and then click on “Where to Stay, What to Do” for more information. Although it is called 'Midnight Madness


dollar to some of the very best in the world. One of the trail’s most popular sites,


Ross Bridge near Birmingham, is just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport, which is served by several daily direct flights from the UK, including British Airways. The hotel at Ross Bridge is modelled


on the castle-like Fairmont (formerly Canadian Pacific) property at Banff Springs, Canada. www.rtjgolf.com


Sale' some of the largest centres (such as Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York) will actually be open from 9pm on Thanksgiving night to assist with the inevitable ‘rush’. Additional transportation coaches


from Port Authority in New York will commence from around 18.00 – and the bargains will be ridiculous! The best bargains to be had are in shopping for the family, such as children’s shoes, etc, as these are so much cheaper than in the UK to start with, even before you get to the discounts. Also, handbags are always a huge hit with UK shoppers as well as one-off designer pieces. If agents are recommending a trip to


their clients then they should advise them to go online and join the VIP Shopper Club for additional savings and travel advice. Happy Shopping! Surinder Manku Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises & Royal Caribbean International


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