FAM-TASTIC! American beauty
WHAT GOES ON TOUR... GOES IN SELLING LONG HAUL! IF YOU MISSED OUT ON THE FAM, FEAR NOT, BECAUSE WE’VE GOT THE GOSSIP. READ ABOUT BRAND USA'S INAUGURAL MEGA FAM COMPRISING SEVEN TRIPS BELOW
WHO: BRAND USA, BRITISH AIRWAYS, AMERICAN AIRLINES WHAT: BRAND USA MEGA FAM WHERE: 21 STATES, USA WHEN: MAY, 2013 WHY: A TRAINING EVENT AND MEGA FAM FOR 100 UK AND IRISH AGENTS TO EXPOLORE 21 STATES ON SEVEN DIFFERENT ITINERARIES
“Oregon and Washington exceeded
expectations: for the people, scenery, gastronomy , microbreweries and vine- yards – unbelievable!” Craig Baxter, Tropical Sky
“Breakfast by the rooftop pool of the
Hotel Wilshire in Beverly Hills, Highway One’s spectacular scenery and a bonfi re on the beach made for the trip of a lifetime!” Sunil Desai, Letsgo2
B
rand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the USA, was launched in 2011 and
its ambitious mega fam this spring was the fi rst of many designed to showcase the USA, in all its glorious diversity, to the trade. On show were a wide variety of experiences ranging from sunny Californian beaches to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
PACIFIC PLAYGROUNDS: Starting in Seattle, the group saw the iconic Space Needle building before taking an aerial city tour by seaplane. The Cascade Loop is a must-do road trip where the group enjoyed Washington’s dessert wine
country, tasting their way through Yakima Valley. In Oregon, highlights included the eclectic menu of American cuisine at Portland’s Original Dinerant (a supper club diner and Oregon institution) and the picturesque coast of
Newport.
CLASSIC CALIFORNIA: A grand walking tour of Hollywood included the Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, before beach time in Santa Monica. For a unique view of historic Santa Barbara the agents stepped aboard the amphibious Land Shark before taking a road trip on the most breathtaking section of the Pacific Coast Highway: the Big Sur. WESTERN WILDS: The group enjoyed Denver, Colorado's Mile High City, including the 40-foot big blue bear sculpture, while Wyoming’s capital city Cheyenne provided cowboy fun at the Frontier Days Old West Museum. Natural highs were had at the dramatic rock formations of the Sheep Creek Geologic Loop and the bubbling mud pots of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. TEXAS TREATS: The group started in Dallas, touring the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum’s
poignant 9/11 exhibit. In historic Fort
Worth’s Stockyards Station everyone turned cowboy and savoured Riscky’s BBQ
before
a night at the rodeo. Capital highights in Austin included a visit to the new Circuit of the Americas, a purpose-built Grand Prix racetrack, and there was no problem in Houston on a tour of the NASA Space Center. MEET THE MIDWEST: First up was Chicago and its famed architecture, as seen via a river cruise. Then came Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and some local ales at The Horny Goat Hideaway! Following the Mississippi River into Bloomington, some retail therapy was had at the massive Mall of America! Last but not least was a stay in the Twin Cities: modern Minneapolis and quaint Saint Paul. BEAUTIFUL SOUTH: Highlights in under-sold Atlanta included the CNN Studios and the Martin Luther King Historic Site. In Music City, Nashville, Tennessee, the agents visited the legendary Studio B and tuned up at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The trip ended with party time in New Orleans' French Quarter and Bourbon Street. EAST COAST HOTSPOTS: It was all about great cities for this group: New York City's skyline from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck and culture and history in Philadelphia, with a stop at Independence Hall and a Mural Arts Tour. There was time for some of Washington DC's free musuems and to whale watch in Boston's Massachusetts Bay.
www.sellinglonghaul.com
“The western USA has boundless possibilities for every traveller, from the museums and art galleries of Denver to the breathtaking landscapes." Theresa Linton
Theresa Linton Business Travel
“I’ve been telling everyone that there is much more to Texas than a good steak!” Lenka Dohnalova, Ocean Holidays
“A perfect option is to do a twin-centre
between Chicago and Lake Geneva, with a night in Milwaukee for the museums and nightlife.” Lesley-Ann McHarg, Travel 2
“Washington D.C surprised me, with
its cool rooftop bars, great views, fab museums and, of course, its history. Leanne Davies, Gold Medal
“My highlight was the Wynwood Walls
in Miami – great art, amazing food, relax- ing atmosphere and sunshine!” Joy Gilroy, Statesman Travel
The agent verdict
Above, clockwise from top left: Classic
California in Santa Cruz; Western Wilds in Yellowstone; Pacifi c Playgrounders in the snow; Meeting the Midwest in Milwaukee; East Coasters in DC; Team Beautiful South party in New Orleans Left: Texas cowboys
July/August 2013 67
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