04-07 market focus 24/10/08 11:11 Page 4
Market Knowledge
Crossing th
Top US destinations for UK visitors:
1st – Florida: 1,394,000 2nd – New York: 1,273,000
Travel bosses are confident that, whoever wins
UK to US tourism
the battle for the White House next week, it will
signal the start of a new era for tourism. The hard
image of “Fort USA” is expected to give way to a
is bouncing back,
more welcoming approach.
“No matter who the next president is, it is
going to be a new image for the US,” says
says
Bruce Bommarito, chief operating officer of the
HOWARD CARR
Washington-based Travel Industry Association
(TIA). “Both sides recognise the importance of
international tourism.”
A RECORD YEAR?
I
t has been a tough struggle, but 2008 looks Early signs are that 2008 could well be a record
like being the year when UK tourism to the year for UK tourism to the US. Visitor figures to
US finally returns to pre-9/11 levels. In the end of May were 8% up on the first five
public, officials point to the weak dollar as months of last year. If that trend continues, it will
the main factor in attracting holidaymakers. take the annual total above the 4.7 million visitors
Privately, many concede that the presidential race recorded in 2000.
between Barack Obama and John McCain has also “Everything is pretty buoyant at the moment,”
helped to unlock pent-up demand among says Visit USA Association chairman Peter Moss.
travellers who had crossed off the US purely on “While taxes and fuel surcharges are putting
moral grounds. pressure on air fares, the prices on the ground in
Percentage of UK visitors hiring Average advance trip decision Percentage of UK visitors on first
cars in the US in 2007 time for UK visitors in 2007 trip to US in 2007
33% 114 days 16%
4
TTG Knowledge USA October 2008
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