Image via Shutterstock
The chief executive of US marketing agency Brand USA has hailed the input of the American travel and tourism industry to ensure a ‘measured and responsible’ approach to border control in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.
Speaking at World Travel Market, Chris Thompson said the creation of a central travel and tourism strategy and an enhanced presence in Washington, D.C meant that the industry now had a voice to highlight the potential consequences of decisions affecting inbound travel.
“It is a great testament to what has been achieved with this National Travel & Tourism Strategy that the industry was at the table,” he added.
Thompson said he expected to see solid growth from the UK market after a flat period during and after the recession.
And he said the take-up of co-operative marketing opportunities by the trade demonstrated the value suppliers and agents were seeing in engaging with Brand USA.
“We have developed very strong programmes with the likes of BA, Thomas Cook and Tui, and we have just signed agreements on two new consumer campaigns with Hayes & Jarvis and Virgin Holidays,” he said.
“This sort of activity is where all the hard work of the past four years (since Brand USA’s foundation) really comes good. Our brand presence is very strong, and both the suppliers and us have a good platform to measure ROI with a call to action for them.”
Thompson added that he was confident Brand USA would achieve its target of increasing incoming visitor numbers to the US to 100 million a year by 2021, and said he expected reauthorisation for the organisation’s next five-year term to come from the US government in early December.