VISIT USA NOW! ISSUE 101 | FEBRUARY 2012 Good start for Visit USA operators It’s difficult to escape the economic
doom and gloom at the moment but a number of key operators to the US are certainly doing their utmost to raise spirits with some very optimistic comments on bookings. For Cath Pusey, Product Director of America As You Like It, January has started really well. “People are very keen to get their summer holidays booked, which is great. California and the West are particularly popular and the Deep South is also doing well for us. The airline seat sales are certainly encouraging people to book sooner rather than later, which is good.” Stephen Rhodes, Managing Director
for Funway Holidays has also seen strong bookings during the first three weeks of the year. ‘Funway Holidays’ half-price deposit, price promise guarantee and great deals from hoteliers and airlines has led to strong product growth. The early winners are New York 35% up, Florida 20% up, Hawaii
President backs
US tourism President Obama outlined a new
tourism strategy at Walt Disney World in Florida last month. The strategy includes the
appointment of a new group of chief executives to be appointed to the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and the creation of a task force to develop recommendations for a national travel and tourism strategy, including promoting national parks and other sites. “Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and visit America. And the more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work,” Obama said. “We’ve got the most entertaining destinations in the world. This is a land of extraordinary wonders, from the Rocky Mountains to the Grand Canyon to Yosemite,” he said. “I’m here today because I want more tourists here tomorrow. I want America to be the top tourism destination in the world.”
36 February 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com We hope you have all had a great
start to the New Year. The Visit USA Association’s winter
23% up and Las Vegas 18% up,” he said. North America Travel Service
and Key to America’s Ruby Briggs expresses optimism for 2012 despite the later booking trend – the more so because of the impending launch of the Brand USA campaign. “There is still a terrific desire for travel to the USA and this is endorsed by the
volume of enquiries we are receiving. During the first two weeks in January, 60% of bookings were for travel within three months compared with 35% in the same time-frame last year. The western states, are once again. proving popular.” Other operators reporting a good
start to 2012 include USAirtours and Tailor Made Travel.
Harry Potter heads to Hollywood Universal Studios Hollywood is
The ‘Wizarding World of Harry
adding two new attractions: ‘Transformers: The Ride-3D’ and a Southern California version of the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’. ‘Transformers: The Ride-3D’, described
as a dynamic, motion-based thrill ride, will open in May 2012, telling the ‘Transformers’ story using original, photo-realistic 3D-HD media, special effects and an elaborate roaming flight simulator ride.
Potter’ debuted in Orlando in June 2010 (and is now to be “significantly expanded”) and is now coming to Universal Studios Hollywood, although it won’t open before 2013. On the cards is a “fully immersive
environment that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life and is faithful to the landscape of the films, including a majestic Hogwarts castle.”
www.universalstudioshollywood.com
roadshows have long been a popular fixture on the trade calendar and last year’s were certainly no exception! Held over three days in November and December at venues in London, Manchester and Bristol, the three events drew a fantastic number of attendees with over 300 travel agents joining us. A range of fantastic holiday prizes are
also available at each of the roadshows and this year’s lucky winners were: • Lesley Clements, Travel Counsellors (The Las Vegas package)
• Jo Robinson, Freedom Travel Group Ltd (Fort Myers & Sanibel package)
• Julie Martin, TUI UK Retail (New York package)
Photos from all of the 2011
roadshows are available on www.
visitusa.org.uk in the Photo Gallery section, under ‘Trade Visitors’. Visit USA is planning another series of
roadshows this year so watch this space for all the details! To widen the appeal of longer
holidays to the USA, why not suggest a cruise and stay package? Cruising continues to be a popular
and affordable holiday option for the Brits. Whether it is a city break to New York or Boston, the more hectic whirl of a trip to Florida’s theme parks, a huge range of cruise options is available. Cruise and stay allows customers to
enjoy the best of both worlds in the sense that they can combine two holidays in one to the USA: a land- based stay and a cruise holiday. Finally, don’t forget to check out, and
keep visiting, the new Visit USA website
www.visitusa.org.uk. This is where you can view and order
a range of brochures, including the 2012 edition of Visit the USA, US travel news and much more.
Surinder Manku Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises & Royal Caribbean International
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