Key US gateway cities are closing in on full recovery of the UK market, with some expecting to pass 2019 figures this year.
Los Angeles is forecasting the UK & Irish market will account for between 380,000 and 385,000 visitors in 2024, up from 310,000 in 2023. The pre-pandemic record of 380,000 was set in 2019.
Washington DC will also surpass 2019 numbers this year, while other cities including Chicago and New York also reported airlift ahead of pre-pandemic levels as they target a full rebound.
New York is forecasting the UK market will stand at 1.08 million this year and 1.18 million in 2025, approaching the 2019 figure of 1.27 million.
Speaking at Brand USA’s Travel Week in London, Adam Burke, chief executive of LA Tourism, said the rebound was a reflection of efforts made by the marketing organisation in core markets during and after the pandemic.
Focuses for the coming years will include sports tourism, with the city due to host a range of major events including basketball’s All-Star Game and the Superbowl in 2027 in addition to the football World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028.
Burke said LA had “learned many lessons” from the host of this year’s Olympics, Paris, as it promises a car-free Games with visitors transported in fleets of buses.
He also hailed the “joined-up thinking” which has resulted in the city convening a Tourism Cabinet formed of leaders of key bodies including the LAPD and Fire Department to ensure readiness for major events.
Destination DC chief executive Elliott Ferguson said the city continued to see a “strong rebound” in international visitor numbers year on year, with the UK market performing ahead of pre-pandemic levels.
The destination’s marketing body unveiled a revamped agent training platform last week and Ferguson said education was key to helping the trade and customers understand what the city had to offer beyond politics.
Key focuses include next year’s World Pride event, which is expected to attract two million international visitors.
Nancy Mammana, interim chief executive of NYC Tourism + Conventions, said the city continued to promote the appeals of its neighbourhoods and boroughs to UK travellers who are often repeat visitors.
Focuses for the city include promoting its role in a range of historic events through its ‘Founded by NYC’ campaign and highlighting affordable times and places to visit, with visitor spend dropping due to adverse currency rates.
Rich Gamble, interim chief executive of Choose Chicago, added: “Overall international visitation was up 11% to 670,000 between June and August and the UK remains our largest international market behind Canada and Mexico.
“Looking at our metrics for recovery we are over 100% in most of them and in the high 90s for the rest so we are feeling confident.”
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