Disney’s international sales chief has hailed the rebound of UK visitor numbers to the company’s US parks, with the recovery comfortably outstripping that of the overall UK market to the US.
Speaking at the IPW conference in San Antonio, Disney Destinations vice-president of international marketing and sales Jeff van Langeveld (pictured, left) added the market showed “no signs of slowing down” following the release of early booking offers for 2024.
The overall UK market to the US in 2022 was 3.47 million visitors, 27% behind 2019 levels.
Van Langeveld said: “The UK is one of the most important markets and is well over-performing [the wider UK-US market].
“It has been very strong and the return has not been that different to the domestic market. There has been so much pent-up demand and they have come back in a strong way.”
Van Langeveld and senior vice-president of Disney Destinations sales solutions Javier Moreno both praised the importance of the travel trade in the company’s recovery and strategy.
And van Langeveld insisted the ongoing dispute between the Walt Disney Company and Florida governor Ron de Santis over schools’ teaching of sexuality and gender identity had not affected the running of Walt Disney World, adding: “Our focus is on maintaining the best possible guest experience. There has been no impact.”
Marketing focuses for Disney this year include celebrations of the company’s 100th anniversary – focused on Walt Disney World Resort’s Epcot park – and Disney Cruise Line’s ‘Silver Anniversary at Sea’.