THE Discover New England marketing consortium is this year embarking on its biggest-ever UK programme of activities for the travel trade.
Investment from the six New England states – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont – will fund travel agent training workshops, educationals, UK sales missions and involvement in trade shows.
This year’s New England UK sales mission starts today, organised by Boston transport authority Massport, and including representatives from DNE and all six states.
Participants will split into groups to talk to agents and operators at events in the southeast and Manchester, followed by training workshops in Leeds, London and the South.
The mission then moves to Edinburgh and Glasgow to stage similar functions for the Scottish trade.
DNE managing director Jackie Ennis said: “There is more to New England than the fall colours. We want to promote the area as a four-season destination.
“Massachusetts represents the gateway to the region through Boston and has had a more aggressive approach to international marketing as well as the financial backing.
“We now want to capitalise on the strength of independent retail agents through consortia such as ARTAC and the Campaign for Real Travel Agents and increase product training.”
CARTA members are designated as approved retailers for the Association of Independent Tour Operators, many of whose programmes heavily feature New England.
A mix of UK independent and multiple agency staff are joining some of the many educationals scheduled to take place this year. Two planned for May and June include a Kuoni/Virgin Atlantic trip and one hosted by Boston route newcomer United Airlines. Destinations include the New Hampshire Lakes region, coastal Maine, Newport on Rhode island, Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, Cape Cod, Vermont and Boston.
Delegates at the Institute of Travel and Tourism’s conference in Newport, May 9-12, will get A Taste of New England when DNE and Massport lay on themed food and entertainment from the six states at the Newport Yachting Centre.
This is followed by DNE’s New England Clambake on May 15-19 at The Savoy Hotel on Miami’s South Beach.
In June, DNE stages its annual general meeting, which doubles as the New England Tourism Summit, where visitor trends and product development in international markets are analysed. UK representative for DNE, Fiona Ward, said: “The conference will educate the smaller suppliers about how the international market can work for them. It can also expand the product knowledge of overseas participants.”