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JULY 2013 PAGE 13
Eoghan Corry reports from Las Vegas
IPW 2013
WEBSITE A new American website www.knowbeforeyougo.com is due be launched soon and this will be the one stop shop for pre-planning trip advice regarding visas, licences, policies etc – vital information to the USA visitor.
Ciara Foley of Platinum Travel, chair of the Visit USA committee in Dublin with her two immediate predecessors as chair: Ciaran Carraher and Beverleigh Fly of Innstant Travel and Clodagh Oxley CEO
Visit USA growth
Dublin committee targets potential members at IPW
D
ublin’s Visit USA committee had more than 45 meetings with current and future members during IPW. Ciara Foley of Platinum Travel says: “during these meetings we reiterated again our commitment to promoting and marketing each member’s product/destination to the Irish Consumer, Travel Trade and Press. “We reassured our members and future associates that the Irish Econ-
T
omy is stabilising and confidence is returning. Bookings are up and future numbers are positive.” “We are delighted to have recruited some new members during our visit at IPW and we dedicate ourselves to continuing to serve all our existing member to the best of our ability.” The committee also met with Brand USA at a clsoed session on Sunday, at which members were told of support for promotions and contributions. Key suggestions are:
■ Include the Brand USA Logo in advertising ■ Provide Ad space to Brand USA ■ Add Brand USA logo to our internationally focused websites, emails, Facebook pages, etc ■ Donate photos, content, video and international research to brand USA ■ For brand USA events, travel missions, and trade shows, donate accommodation, airfare or food & beverage
6,400 A RECORD NUMBER
he US Travel Association reports record-setting attendance at the 45th annual IPW, the trade fair formerly known as International Pow Wow, in Las Vegas. Roger Dow, CEO of the US Travel Association, confirmed there were 6,400 delegates from 78 countries and 500 media from 74 countries. He said the new tagline for IPW would be “bringing the world to America.” There were 1,300 international and domestic buyers. About 90,000 prescheduled business appointments, each lasting about 20 minutes, were held. The US Travel Association says the event is estimated to generate more than $3.5bn in travel to the U.S. over the next three years and at least $350m in future economic impact for the host city. Typically, the host city gets about 10 percent of the total take. PW has experienced double digit growth over the past three years in delegate attendance, booth sales and buyer participation. That is, between 2010 and 2013, the number of total delegates grew by 25 percent, booth
sales increased 23 percent and participation by international and domestic buyers grew 30 percent. "After a dip during the recent recession, America's travel industry is back with great strength," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "IPW has experienced double-digit growth over the last three years, and literally billions of dollars in deals are being signed this week with tour operators that will bring more international visitors into the United States." The association says every major American city and state tourism office attends IPW, as well as attractions, museums, amusement parks and other travel businesses. These groups market themselves to the world's top international tour operators that sell travel to the U.S. IPW pre-schedules meetings through a sophisticated online matching system to maximize productivity; 90,000-plus business meetings were scheduled for the three-day event. "At IPW, buyers and sellers are
able to conduct business that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-theworld trips," said Dow. "A recent Oxford Economics report we commissioned as part of our Travel Effect campaign notes that in-person meetings double the likelihood of closing a deal, and U.S. companies experience nearly $10 in revenues for every dollar invested in business travel." The report also noted that U.S. businesses are investing record levels on domestic business travel, spending an estimated $225 million in 2012 and surpassing a historic peak set in 2007. Business travel expenditures generated 1.9 million jobs, $59 billion in personal income and $35 billion in tax revenues last year. First timers at IPW included Veronica Aherne of Tour America, Adrienne Keogh of American Holidays, Ivan Beacom of Aer Lingus and Clem Walshe, who represented Lowcostbeds at the event.
POLAND will not qualify for Visa Waiuver status under US immigration law anytime soon, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. One of the factors the Americans consider is visa refusal rates and Poland’s is currently 9.3pc. It needs to be under 3pc for visa waiver to happen. While Poland’s rate is way ahead of Bulgaria (18pc) and Romania (17pc), Cyprus (1.9pc) and Croatia (4.4pc) will likely be the next two countries to qualify, alongside Chile (2.8pc) and Brazil (3pc). According to the 2011 census there are 120,000 Poles living in Ireland, WASHINGTON DC has been se-
lected as the host city for the International Pow Wow (IPW) June 3-7, 2017. Delegates will experience new hotel facilities such as the 1,175room Washington Marriott Marquis Hotel,, electric streetcars along H Street NE corridor, the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the expanded Metrorail line connecting DC visitors to Dulles International Airport.
LAS VEGAS added 17000 new rooms during recession attracting $25bn of new investment, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman,told delegates. At Macarran airport Temrinal 3-opened. The city plans to build the largest observation wheel in the world. LOS ANGELES has a “brilliant array of new hotels, 3,400 new hotel rooms under development in the next two years,” delegates were told by Ernie Wooden Jr, President and CEO of Los Angeles tourism. The pipeline includes the $1bn Wiltshire grand hotel where the check in is on the 70th floor and there is pool on top of the building on the 73rd floor. MONTEREY Bay Aquarium has joined the San Francisco CityPASS programme. From April 17, toutists have a choice between visiting the Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39 on San Francisco's lively Embarcadero waterfront or the Monterey Bay Aquarium AIRPORTS Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services on Feb. 25 unveiled “Taking Off with the Hungry Traveler,” a magazine and webisode series featuring the best of food and travel from the airports at which the company operate. WEST VIRGINIA which boasts
seven wonders of the natural world, from beaches, waterfalls, high plains plateau to river and mountain trails, rock formations and gorges, is to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its statehood next year. Attractions include a road-bowling league similar to that which is played in Cork and in Armagh.
GOOGLE street view has loaded four of the USA’s national parks and will continue to more and more parks.