BUSINESS NEWS


USTA’s Geoff Freeman says the UK trade can help steer US policymaking as it ‘has its finger on the pulse of what customers want’


US Travel chief pledges ongoing trade liaison


Freeman aims to ease entry process. Robin Searle reports from IPW in Texas


The head of the US Travel Association has pledged the body will engage with UK trade partners to steer its efforts to drive growth in visitors from America’s “most important overseas market”. US Travel Association (USTA)


president and chief executive Geoff Freeman said: “The UK has always been our most important overseas market and I don’t see that changing any time soon.” Speaking in San Antonio, Texas, at his first IPW conference since


48 8 JUNE 2023


taking over from Roger Dow last year, Freeman said the trade had its “finger on the pulse of what customers want” and would be instrumental in steering the association’s lobbying of policymakers. He said. “We need to be driving


10% increases year over year. The approach to achieving that will be different for different markets. [Marketing body] Brand USA will be key, but we’re there to deal with any hurdles or annoyances and we’re reliant on the experts to help us be


most effective in the jobs we do.” Freeman identified UK travellers’


access to the Global Entry programme at the US border as a way to streamline the arrivals process for regular visitors and to encourage growth. He said talks on extending pre-


departure clearance of US customs for UK travellers continue, with the aim of mirroring existing arrangements in Ireland and Canada, and he is


Continued on page 46 travelweekly.co.uk


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