FEATURE USA: THE SOUTH
the area’s Creole and Cajun dishes. History is also a significant factor down South, with many important sites from the American Revolution through the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, in places like Memphis, Jackson and Raleigh. Among notable events that will push
visitor numbers in 2012 is the 35th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Graceland, near Memphis, Tennessee, expects vast numbers of music fans to make the pilgrimage for the year-long celebrations. The entire region is awash with food
festivals. For example, 2012 is the year that Alabama is celebrating the state's ‘Year of Food’ by highlighting the best dining venues and food festivals in a brochure, aptly named ‘Things to Eat in Alabama Before you Die.’ Seafood is again abundant on the Alabama Gulf Coast after a full recovery from the BP oil spill disaster in 2009. New Orleans is increasingly being
used as a point of departure for cruising the Caribbean and this is often
combined with two or three nights pre- and or
post-stays in the city. Royal Caribbean’s V
oyager of the Seas began
docking
in New Orleans last November and offers cruises to the Western Caribbean. One UK event that will be of interest
is the Deep South USA Training Mission. Five states – Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee – will host their annual sales and training
them sample seevral destinations, and push ‘themes’ or combinations of themes – how about great seafood, golf and live jazz and blues in Alabama? And think ‘musical’, ‘gastronomical’ or ‘historical’ – all great strengths of the Southern US.
“Push clients towards popular fl y-drive holidays which allow them to sample multiple destinations”
mission, starting June 11 2012. The focus will be London and the southeast and there will be training sessions for tour operators and an evening event for retail agents.
In terms of the region’s selling potential, cash in on those clients looking beyond the most popular regions – New York, Orlando, San Francisco, etc. – to places that offer a more authentic, truly individual experience of the country.
Push clients towards fly- drive holidays which let
What's New Large new hotels are being opened and renovated across the region, such as Loews Miami Beach, which unveiled its refurbished 790 rooms last year. In New Orleans The Hotel Modern was due to open early this year, a check- in desk-less, guesthouse-style property with 135 rooms. The Saint Hotel is a new £30-million property in the historic Audubon district, with 166 rooms.
There’s also robust interest in the region from tour operators, with more product from the likes of TUI, USAirtours, and America As You Like It, and more group tours from Jetsave, Cosmos, Leger Holidays and Travelsphere.
Tourism Talk DAVID NICHOLSON
UK Director, Mississippi Tourist Board
“For Deep South USA
and Mississippi 2011 was a year of consolidation and pleasant
40 February 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Kentucky is horse country while rural Georgia is known for its several lake-side resorts and activities that embrace the Great Outdoors
surprises. UK visitors to Mississippi showed a slight increase over 2010 and for 2012 we are optimistic with a number of tour operators increasing their Deep South USA product, whilst on the group tour front we are seeing more scheduled departures for 2012.”
JODY HANSON Sales Director, Louisiana Office of Tourism “Although product for
2011 was marginally up, the number of passengers increased significantly. In fact, last year the South was one of the few US regions that saw an increase in visitors. New Orleans and Louisiana received plenty of coverage in the media, with TV programmes themed on trans-America road trips which took in New Orleans and the state.”
From The Front Line RICHARD WIMMS
Managing Director, Vacations to America “The American South is
growing in popularity for UK travellers. In addition to familiar places such as New Orleans and Memphis, the region includes the Blue Ridge Mountains and the beaches of the Carolinas, the Civil War and Civil Rights history to family theme parks. The South is perfect for clients looking for an alternative side of the USA and the hospitality is second to none.”
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