Atlanta,
GA – June 2017 / Newsmaker Alert / Travel
South USA (TSUSA) will embark on its 2017 International Sales Mission
in New Zealand and Australia from June 19–23. Twenty-seven delegates from
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee are traveling
down under to participate in workshops and B2B meetings in Auckland, Brisbane,
and Sydney. Partners from Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, New
Orleans, Memphis, Tupelo, Graceland, Ryman Entertainment & Country
Music Hall of Fame will also be on hand. This enthusiastic team will share
the music, food, and culture of the South with high-value travel industry
agents, tour operators, and media. We understand travel professionals are
key to continuing to grow our market share.
“We
are thrilled to be back in Australia and adding a stop in New Zealand,”
said Kevin Langston, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Tourism and current International
Committee Chair for Travel South USA. “Overall visitation and spending
to the South have far outpaced other regions of the USA from Oceania, and
the length of stay of visitors allows time to drive and experience many
of the small towns throughout the south. In 2015, the region hosted approximately
250,000 Oceania visitors, a 51% increase – and once 2016 numbers are finalized,
we anticipate another double-digit increase. Three years ago, the Travel
South USA Board of Directors saw tremendous opportunities for operators
to create more self-drive and niche tour packages and we have invested
in the market. This year we posted an 112% increase in southern itineraries
and self-drive packages available in top 25 tour wholesalers and online
travel companies, and with more airline flights, Australians & New
Zealanders continue to discover our region. A delegation of this size just
validates that opportunity for growth.”
The
mission named Bourbon, Blues & BBQ will feature Kentucky’s Wild Turkey
Bourbon, a concert-style program featuring a talented singer/songwriter
from Nashville, Tennessee and BBQ cooking demonstrations from a Memphis-based
Pitmaster.
Damien
Horne will be onstage in the three cities for a 45-minute concert tempting
the audience with songs and stories of the South. “I’m so excited to have
the opportunity to share the Southern story of the states with our Aussie
/ Kiwi friends through music! I have a strong feeling that we both speak
the language of southern music fluently!”
Bringing
Memphis style BBQ and ribs to the top wholesalers in Sydney is the award-winning
Pitmaster of Memphis Corky’s BBQ, Amir Abdolhosseinzadeh and co-owner Barry
Pelts. Twenty operators will watch, learn and participate in a hands-on
cooking school experience. Corky’s BBQ sauces and rubs are world-renowned,
and hickory and charcoal slow roasting style deliver melt in your mouth
meals.
The
New Zealand and Australia Sales Mission will visit Auckland on Monday,
June 19; Brisbane Tuesday, June 20; followed by Sydney on Wednesday, June
21 and Thursday, June 22. Gate 7 Australia, the Brand USA agency of record
is producing the mission for Travel South USA.
For
more information about Travel South USA visit www.TravelSouthUSA.com
or email Angelica@TravelSouthUSA.com.
About
Travel South USA
Travel
South USA is America’s oldest and largest regional travel promotion organization,
formed in 1965. The long-standing regional collaboration of the state tourism
offices of Alabama,
Arkansas,
Georgia,
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee,
Virginia
and West Virginia provides a foundation
to positively position tourism as a vital and dynamic element in the region’s
economic development. Tourism ranks throughout the region as one of the
top three industries, behind manufacturing and agriculture, and is responsible
for $133 billion in spending by visitors, generating 1.4 million direct
jobs, $30 billion in worker paychecks, and almost $16 billion in state
and local taxes. For more information, visit www.TravelSouthUSA.com
for consumer information and travel industry information, www.TravelSouthUSA.org.
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Contact:
Angelica
De Stefano
Coordinator,
Event Marketing
&
Communication
Travel
South USA
404-231-1790
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Travel
South USA: Facebook
/ Twitter / YouTube
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Travel
South USA
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