Brand USA was out in force with Jackie Ennis (Vice President, Global Trade Development for Brand USA), Holly Jordan (Sales & Marketing Senior Account Director) and Serena Gray (Trade Manager) hosting The Great USA Road Trip in conjunction with United Airlines with Aoife Gregg (Leisure Sales Manager for Ireland, N. Ireland & Scotland).
The event was very well attended. As USA goes big on everything, the prizes were no exception. The big ticket prizes went to:
- Linda Ryan (Click & Go) Prize of a United return flight, an overnight stay at a boutique hotel in Springfield with attraction tickets and a 2-night stay with attraction tickets in Grapevine, Texas
- Kevin Smithwick (Sunway) – Prize of a United return flight, 2-night stay in Flagstaff, Arizona with 2 tickets to Lowell Observatory, the Museum of Northern Arizona and Arizona Snowbowl Resort plus a 2-night stay in Pasadena, California with 2 tickets to the Huntington Botanical Gardens
Plenty of goody bags were won by the lucky attendees:
Route 66 Celebrates its Centenary in 2026
Route 66 in the US was one of the original highways in the USA’s numbered highway system. It was established in 1926 meaning it will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. The original route spanning 3,940km started in Chicago and winds its way west, traversing the country till its end in Santa Monica in LA County, California. This was the route to head west and has furnished a path through decades of Americana. Every generation has its iconic image etched in its memory, whether from iconic songs “Get Your Kicks On Route 66”, the Mother Road from John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” or more recently, Pixar’s animated movie “Cars”.
The First 100 Miles of Route 66
Begin at the beginning and for Route 66, this is East Jackson Boulevard in Downtown Chicago. Journey through Illinois along the first 100 miles of the epic roadway. On route, find iconic museums, retro diners and throwback gas stations. Head to Joliet for the Route 66 Welcome Center, the Rialto Square Theatre, one of the most beautiful theatres in the world and the Old Joliet Prison and tourist attraction which featured in the Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi movie, The Blues Brothers and television show, Prison Break.
For more on Route 66, check out Shane Cullen’s article on an epic adventure from Chicago – https://ittn.ie/travel-news/get-your-kicks-on-route-66-american-airlines-illinois-event-at-the-westbury/
Route 66 Inspiration
Brand USA has a digital hub to get your kicks and anything else you might need on Route 66:VisitTheUSA.com/route-66
In fact, 2026 is a busy year for the USA with America’s 250th Anniversary in 2026, the FIFA World Cup 2026, Summer Olympic and Paralymic Games will be hosted in LA in 2028 & the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in Salt Lake City in 2034.
Ahead of all that, World Pride is to be hosted in Washington DC in 2025.
Brand USA Travel Trade Portal
Remember there are an incredible 50 states to explore in the USA. To help plan itineraries, Brand USA has a dedicated trade website – https://traveltrade.visittheusa.com/
This can be used to find inspiration and information to help you book more travel to the USA! Browse robust regional and themed itineraries, beginning in key gateway cities and exploring beyond them to discover both iconic landmarks and hidden gems.
Watch fun and exciting travel videos, and find out how to embed them in your own collateral. Access photos from across the USA. Learn important travel tips to help ensure that trips go smoothly, from visa and entry policy information to how to get around after arriving in the USA. Review resources customized to the travel trade including the latest on USA events, MICE request, destination contacts, destination training and more.
USA Discovery Program
The USA Discovery Program is the USA’s learning and sales resource program for global travel agents. This comprehensive platform includes deep training and a range of sales enablement tools to help agents retain knowledge, promote USA travel to their clients, create itineraries, and make bookings with targeted sales support.
Brand USA is creating custom B2B training content and educating agents on diverse attractions, accommodations, natural wonders and more.
The new platform includes bronze, silver, gold, and platinum-tiered achievements, welcome/onboarding, behavioral automation to maintain advisor engagement after training, and many more! Find out more at USADiscoveryProgram.com
