The Visit USA Thanksgiving Trade Night was at the Bourbon Bar of the Odeon, Harcourt Street, Dublin. Visit USA’s Executive Director Tony Lane says: ‘This year’s focus is on having fun and it’s our way of saying a massive thank you for selling the USA as a holiday destination!’
Sponsors for the night include a host of suppliers including Aer Lingus, Brand USA, Visit Central Florida, Daytona, Visit Florida, Florida’s Space Coast, Visit Pittsburgh, Universal Parks & Resorts, Visit California, Visit Colorado, Visit Seattle, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alabama and the Great Lakes.
Jenny Rafter – Chairperson of the Visit USA Committee
Jenny Rafter, Chairperson of the Visit USA Committee, thanked everyone and acknowledged it was the largest gathering for a Thanksgiving Event that they had hosted.
The Visit USA committee is a non-profit organisation, that is done on a voluntary basis with a mission to inspire travel to the US. The Visit USA Committee represents over 80 members made up of airlines, attractions, hotels, and destinations across the United States. It is there to support the travel trade in terms of selling the United States to customers and keeping the trade informed and inspired to travel Stateside – this includes ezines, the website, social media channels and events throughout the year. One of the highlights of the calendar is the Thanksgiving Event. There are also roadshows in Cork and Dublin and fantastic online tools to access training and content for all of the members.
Jenny shared, “You can also put any offers from your travel agency through our tools and through our website, so make sure you use those two tools.”.
The US is Nearly Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Jenny explained “Irish visitation to the US is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels… the airlift has expanded so we’re flying to over 18 destinations now in the US so that is absolutely incredible. Ireland ranks itself number one per capita, for visitation to the US, in the world and we are now ranked 16 globally outside Canada. It’s really unbelievable when we think of how many people fly across the Atlantic to North America.”.
The top prize on the night included $1,000 to use on Aer Lingus flights.
Brand USA
Sarah Beckwith and Louise Bailey represent Brand USA in Ireland. They detailed the training program available to travel agents called the “USA Discovery Program” plus the travel trade website dedicated to supporting the trade.
Sarah explained, “We are the destination marketing organisation for the entire of the USA… [and] cover a huge remit – all 50 states, five territories and Washington DC”.
Find out more about the training program and travel trade website features at ITTN’s Brand USA interview.
Daytona Beach
Sarah Hansen (Daytona Beach) represents Ireland and the UK for Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach is one of the closest beach destinations to Orlando at just an hour’s drive away and is very easy to get to. Sarah explained there is an amazing 23 mile-long beach (eq. 37km) to enjoy. She expanded “We have some fabulous hotels and some gorgeous attractions so we are the ideal twin-centre destination with Orlando”
Visit Florida
Staying in the Sunshine State, Millie from Visit Florida shared the importance of tourism to Florida; “Tourism was responsible for welcoming 137.4 million visitors in 2022 which is an increase of 4.8% of the 2019 pre-pandemic [levels]… so our aim is to protect the airlift and increase dispersion through the state.”
She also advised to keep an eye out on ITV for the new 5-part series with Jimmy Doherty that travels around Florida.
Florida’s Space Coast
Roxana and Destiny represent Florida’s Space Coast on the east coast of Florida. Florida’s Space Coast is 72 miles of family-friendly paradise located 45 minutes east of Orlando. Here you can experience a rocket launch up close, embark on a cruise from Port Canaveral, and relax to the sound of crashing waves on uncrowded beaches.
There is the lively downtown districts to discover unforgettable local cuisine, art, and entertainment. Visit top attractions like the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to experience the past, present and future of space exploration. Discover Brevard Zoo where visitors can kayak and zip line through animal exhibits while contributing to the conservation of local ecosystems. Try a guided tour of the Indian River Lagoon. Kayak with manatees, fish with dolphins and experience the awe of summertime bioluminescence. Get wild on an alligator-seeking airboat ride or search for sea turtle tracks at sunrise. There’s no end to the adventures that await. With 63 launches thus far this year and a target of 70-80 by the end, there are plenty of chances to witness a space launch! There is even an app with a schedule to help plan an ideal itinerary.
Visit Pittsburgh
Adam from Visit Pittsburgh explained this area would be relatively unknown to the Irish market. However, it is a great sports city and home to the Steelers (American Football) and the Penguins. Pittsburgh is located in western Pennsylvania and is home to numerous arts and cultural offerings, such as the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Carnegie Science Center. It has a buzzing Downtown Cultural District, an award-winning food scene, an abundance of outdoor activities and a high-tech status. Though Pittsburgh boasts breathtaking views, fantastic hotels and accommodations and exciting family attractions, visitors quickly discover it’s the experiences and activities that they can see, do and find only in Pittsburgh that makes a visit to the region truly stand out.
Visit Central Florida
Margaret Henriksson (Visit Central Florida) explains “We call ourselves the sweetest thought because we are!”. They are home to the original cowboy. There is an abundance of ranches including West Gate River Ranch Resort which is described as a fantastic experience. There is also the Davenport area with 8,000 villas.
There are the major theme parks but this destination is only an hour from the east and west coast beaches. In addition, Central Florida is home to Legoland Resort Florida and the new Peppa Pig theme park. Margaret shared that Peppa Pig is the first ever Queen Park in the US to have autistic certification as does Legoland.
Stay tuned to ITTN for more coverage on the USA Thanksgiving Event covering more destinations Stateside!
