The Travel Professor
Join me on a journey across the broad spectrum of interesting travel topics. We’ll discuss destinations domestic and abroad, some familiar and some off the beaten path. We take a look at suppliers like cruise lines, air carriers and tour operators and find their bargains and special offerings. Got questions? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

First coordinated US tourism campaign to launch in May


A $150 million marketing blitz is ready to promote the USA to travelers worldwide. This is in response to a drop in the country's overall share of world travelers in the decade following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. Travel Association initiated the campaign with the support of several large tourism groups and travel businesses, and it was approved by Congress as part of the Travel Promotion Act of 2010.
To draw foreign travelers back, the campaign will launch billboards, magazine ads, online videos and television commercials, emblazoned in colorful images of city scenes, forests and beaches and the message "Discover America." 

The marketing blitz will begin in May in Canada, Britain and Japan, followed later in Brazil, South Korea, India and Germany. Although the campaign is designed to promote the country as a whole, private travel industry firms that donate a minimum of $1 million in cash and $4 million in in-kind contributions to the campaign get mentioned in the ads by name, with online links and phone numbers included.

Tourism Works for America! Inbound tourism can and does create local jobs in the US of A. Contact your elected officials and tell them to continue to support these initiatives!