The US state of Vermont is targeting luxury and activity operators in the UK as it looks to reclaim its share of the UK market.
Megan Smith, commissioner of the Vermont department of tourism & marketing, admitted that changes to tourism product and priorities in the state had led to ‘a crazy 10 years for the UK market’.
But she said a united tourism strategy and renewed marketing representation in the UK was designed to showcase the state’s natural beauty, accommodation and events with a view to re-establishing it as a standalone destination in the eyes of the UK trade.
Speaking at the IPW conference in Orlando, she said: “The UK has always been our number one international market, and having that presence is a start in bringing the market back.
“We are often featured as one stop in a New England tour, but we are really pushing New York and Montreal as gateways to be able to truly experience what the state has to offer.”
A number of travel trade fam trips are planned to showcase Vermont to operators and agents.