Agent Diary: Give us the tools and the trade will happily sell all corners of the US

With 50 states, a federal capital and five major territories spanning multiple time zones, the sheer scale of the US can feel overwhelming. It’s a land of staggering contrasts: California boasts a population of nearly 40 million people, while Wyoming is home to barely over half a million. In terms of landmass, Alaska leads the nation, yet is the third-least‑populated state.

Faced with such vast geography, it’s easy to see why the UK and Irish travel trade has relied on a handful of established hotspots.

For decades, New York, Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas were the firm favourites, the reliable bread-and-butter bookings for high street agents.

Deeper exploration

However, the past 15 years have seen an intriguing shift in consumer habits. A growing appetite for authentic culture, live music and deep exploration has brought states such as Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky into the mix. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the blues hubs of the Deep South, clients want to scratch beneath the surface. 

Similarly, cruise lines are expanding their deployments along the East and West Coasts, capturing wish-list travellers eager to tick off multiple states in a single voyage.

As agents, we sell what we see; our confidence is built on the back of educational trips, hosted visits and first-hand experience. Right now, that confidence is being buoyed by new airline routes, including direct regional connections from Dublin.

Of course, operating in global tourism means navigating international headlines. The US is frequently at the centre of complex geopolitical events, and it’s easy for consumers to feel hesitant. But as the old saying goes: “If you want to see how terrible the world is, watch the news. If you want to see how wonderful the world is, travel it.”

Despite the noise, the appetite for travel remains resilient. I have flown frequently of late, and every single flight has been full.

Demand is there, and our job is to steer it. We could all take inspiration from the classic 1940s Bing Crosby track my grandmother used to sing: we need to “accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative”, and bring that gloom down to a minimum.

Spending power

Financially, we have a fantastic lever to pull right now. The US dollar has weakened against sterling over the past few years and now sits at 1.34 to the pound. This puts British holidaymakers in a much healthier position, and represents a significant boost to spending power on the ground.

To fully capitalise on this, the frontline trade needs support. At major industry events like World Travel Market, the dominant presence still tends to belong to New York, Florida and Las Vegas. 

My challenge to US tourist boards and destination management companies is simple: give us the training, share the product knowledge and show us the lesser‑known states. If you give us the tools, the trade will happily step up, drive new bookings and successfully sell every single corner of America.

Visit Kentucky for Ark life

For clients seeking something different, the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, features a life-sized reconstruction of Noah’s Ark. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the theme park boasts a zoo and ziplines and holds concerts for up to 1,500 people.

Located within easy driving distance of Lexington and Indianapolis, it makes an ideal stop for families exploring the region. To the west, Rocky Mountaineer offers a spectacular luxury rail experience with its Rockies to the Red Rocks route.

The two-day, daytime-only journey travels between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. With an overnight hotel stay in Glenwood Springs, it allows travellers to enjoy the changing landscapes of the American West in complete comfort.