Travel South USA International Showcase wraps up in Atlanta, Georgia
This week, top tour operators from 18 countries in Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, and Asia came together to engage in more than 8,000 meetings with travel suppliers and DMOs from across the South for the annual Travel South USA Showcase.
Held this year in Atlanta, Georgia at the Hilton Signia from Dec. 1 to Dec. 4, more than 400 tourism professionals met for a series of informative face-to-face for a series of business discussions with one common goal—to get more people to travel to the Southern states.
“We are thrilled to welcome more than 450 tourism professionals to the Travel South International Showcase,” said Stephen Foutes, Travel South USA board chair and director, Missouri Tourism during an opening address. “These four days of intensive face-to-face meetings are one of our highest priorities and a signature event. We encourage you to join us with an open mind— you never know where your next big business opportunity may arise.”
“Our goal is to advance and extend what is available for sale already in the United States, particularly the South,” added Liz Bitner, president and CEO, Travel South USA. “In terms of strategy around the international market, our goal is to think globally and act locally. We’re really looking for a more global marketing platform and we are very focused on welcoming the world to our little corner of the United States. All y’all are welcome.”
Making global connections
Travel South USA’s 2024 International Showcase opened on Dec. 1 with an Honors Night Celebration hosted by Kentucky Tourism, which saw a series of Ambassador Awards presented by Miles Partnership. Entertainment for the evening was provided by Tennessee Tourism.
The official marketplace began on Dec. 3 with a key address from Fred Dixon, the new president and CEO of Brand USA, who provided a Global Outlook from the main stage. Brand USA works directly with Travel South USA to promote community prosperity and grow travel jobs, all while promoting international visitation to the South.
“Your presence here shows a true commitment to growing our industry and the success of each and every business,” Dixon said. “How we create the new global era of travel is top of mind,” he continued, adding that trade and new product development, including the Tourism Exchange program, remain key priorities for the organization.
As of October of this year, Brand USA is on track to reaching $8.4 billion dollars in international visitor spending in the South. ‘That’s about 96 per cent of pre-pandemic spending,” Dixon said. “As we look ahead to 2025, we’re forecast to exceed our 2019 baseline and hit a new milestone, and that’s a testament to our region’s resilience, the destinations of our great partners, and the strength of our tourism industry as a whole.”
An ambitious goal
Next year, Travel South USA turns 60 and looking ahead, the organization, together with Brand USA, have set an ambitious collective goal of welcoming $10 billion dollars of spending from international visitors by 2025. “If we work together, I’m certainly confident that we can reach it and exceed it,” Dixon said, noting that the addition of a single hotel night or attraction can easily drive up that revenue.
International marketplaces between suppliers and attendees continued on Dec. 4.
A final farewell “Y’all Ball”, hosted by Atlanta CVB & Explore Georgia, wrapped up this year’s Showcase on the evening of Dec. 5, with live music and dancing, Southern bites and creative cocktails.
Stay tuned for more coverage of this year’s Travel South USA International Showcase in the next issue of Canadian Travel Press, out on Dec. 16!
