North American destinations which are due to host matches at the 2026 World Cup are planning to collaborate to maximise opportunities for fans attending the event.
Speaking at Brand USA Travel Week in London, Meet Boston chief executive Martha Sheridan said the city was planning partnerships with New York and Philadelphia to promote multi-centre breaks, in addition to Amtrak to facilitate travel between the cities.
Tammy Canavan, Visit Seattle chief executive, said the city was planning collaborations with the Canadian city of Vancouver, in addition to its existing partnership with Oregon to promote the wider Pacific Northwest region.
Canavan and Sheridan were speaking during a panel discussion on sports and cultural tourism, also attended by Travel Oregon and Visit Salt Lake chiefs Todd Davidson and Kaitlin Eskelson.
All panellists hailed the importance of the UK market to their destinations, with each stressing the importance of direct flights.
Eskelson said Salt Lake City was growing in popularity with UK visitors not just for access to its ski resorts, but also year-round as a gateway to Utah’s National Parks and Yellowstone, which is located mainly in neighbouring Wyoming.
She said the UK market was down 27% in 2022 compared to 2019 but was targeting a “significant rebound” this year.
Davidson said sports were becoming an increasingly important way of engaging with overseas markets, and said the launch of British Airways’ direct service had further opened Oregon for tourists looking to experience its outdoor recreation, food and wine and nine federally-recognised Indigenous tribes.
Sheridan said sport and history remained two of Boston’s key marketing pillars, adding: “These are the things many people associate with Boston, and we are increasingly using those to promote our wider offering including our diverse neighbourhoods and Seaport area.
Canavan agreed an increasing awareness of US sports offered an opportunity to attract UK customers, with other areas of promotion for Seattle including its cultural and culinary offering and musical heritage.
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