VISIT USA NOW! ISSUE 106 | JULY/AUGUST 2012 Big increase in Stateside arrivals The USA enjoyed some unexpectedly


buoyant visitor figures for March with visitor arrivals up by an unprecedented 28.5%. This followed a small increase of 1.2% in February and a decrease of 3.9% in January. March’s increase was exceeded only


by German tourists, who recorded a 32.3% rise in visitor numbers. Alan Waddell, Chief Operating Officer


of the Visit USA Association (UK), was delighted with the new Office of Travel & Tourism Industries’ statistics. “The current economic uncertainties


are apparently not making themselves felt as far as UK visitors to the USA are concerned. UK March arrivals into the USA certainly saw a big increase and if this pattern is then repeated in April


The Visit USA Committee has once


and we start to see the impact of the new Brand USA TV & billboard campaign, we could be looking at a very positive summer – as well as year-on- year growth for overall visitors in 2012. Self-evidently, the USA is still holding its


place as the UK’s number one long haul holiday destination,” said Waddell. The first three months of 2012 show


a 10% increase in UK visitor arrivals to the USA compared with the same months in 2011.


Funway takes first look at Florida Funway Holidays’ first-edition 2013


brochure is now on sale. The brochure, which has doubled in


size to 68 pages, features money-saving specials, exclusive booking offers and more holiday extras than before. The lead-in price is £605pp for seven


Snow business from Virgin


Virgin Holidays has launched


its new Winter 2012/2013 Ski & Board brochure. Designed as a one-stop shop for


both agents and customers, it features exclusive offers and deals such as early-booking discounts and 50% off lift passes for all customers booking a package before September 30 2012. The brochure offers US resorts


from New Hampshire in the east to California out west. Prices start from £799 for a


seven-night stay in North Conway, New Hampshire, including flights with Virgin Atlantic and car hire. A six-day lift pass in Killington,


Vermont is on offer for £70, based on December 1-14 departures. www.virginholidays.co.uk/ brochures/ski/


56 July/August 2012 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


nights at the Howard Johnson International Drive, including flights with Virgin Atlantic and fully-inclusive car rental. Travel is based on a departure on September 12 2012. Offers include free nights at selected hotels, a saving up to 40% at Universal onsite hotels – equivalent to a £1165 saving per family of four when booking a 14-night stay at Loews Portofino – free airport lounge passes and flight upgrades from £229pp.


again had the pleasure of welcoming a number of our esteemed colleagues from the land of the free this month, as it has been the VUSA Media Marketplace and Awards season again. As always, it has been fantastic to hear all of their news, and the exciting developments we can use when promoting the United States to our own contacts here in the UK, and for once, our annual Independence Day Ball actually fell on the right day, July 4. Behind all of the fun though, there is


of course a serious work message. As a tourism destination, the USA


faces competition on all sides, fluctuating exchange rates, a moribund economy here in the UK and ever- rising airline taxes. All of this means that the job of Visit USA, Brand USA and all of the individual CVBs vying for market share and trying to communicate their message to the media here is more important than ever before. The 50 delegates who attended the


The brochure is valid for departures


up to December 2013. 08445570626. www.funway4agents.co.uk


Another award for Selling Long Haul


Selling Long Haul’s Jo Austin, BMI Publishing Ltd Group Editor, received the Best Travel Trade Press Feature Writer award in this year’s Visit USA Association Travel Media Awards held at St Ermin's Hotel in London. Pictured the following evening with


Kate Burgess-Craddy, Chair of the Visit USA Association (right), both were attending the annual Visit USA Ball. Jo received her award for an article


on Oregon and Washington State, 'Out on the Range'.


Media Marketplace certainly didn’t underestimate the importance of the time they spent with the 70 national, specialist and online media to whom they spoke. At the Media Awards that followed, the best in the last 12 months' journalism was recognised with one of the articles from this very publication (see left) winning in the ‘Best Travel Trade Feature’ category – so congratulations to Jo Austin! The Ball itself was, once again, a


complete sell out – with more than 365 people there to celebrate everything that makes America great. We were treated to a reminder of Brand USA’s new TV campaign by its UK lead Gerry Boyle, and the raffle raised over £6,200 for the chosen charity – Just A Drop. With relationships, networks and linkages established or renewed, it was an invaluable evening – and week – in more ways than one.


Phil Bloomfield, Head of PR, Virgin Holidays


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