Travel from China gets another boost. Brand USA is partnering with NTA to present the Discover America Pavilion at the China International Travel Mart (CITM), November 15–19 in Shanghai. CITM, produced by the China National Tourism Administration, is the largest professional travel expo in Asia, with last year’s fair attracting more than 100,000 visitors and 2,200 exhibitors, the NTA reports.
At the Discover America Pavilion, Brand USA and NTA will host U.S. companies and destinations seeking to enter or expand their presence among Chinese inbound travelers, a rapidly growing market. The number of visitors to the United States from China increased from 157,000 in 2003 to 1,089,000 in 2011, according to the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Projected visitation for 2014 is more than 2 million, with nearly 3 million visitors forecasted for 2016, NTA reports.
“This will be Brand USA’s first event in China, and we’re eager to showcase the remarkable travel opportunities throughout the United States,” said Brand USA CEO Jim Evans. “We’re also eager to partner with NTA because of their significant experience in this market.”
NTA opened the NTA Visit USA Center in November 2010 to promote travel to the United States by educating both the U.S. and Chinese trade about high-quality product and best practices and by linking them with registered tour operators in the United States.
In the fourth quarter of 2011, Chinese travelers visiting the United States through NTA-registered operators represented $448 million in total exports, a 60 percent increase from the baseline established in 2010.
“We’re pleased to join with Brand USA at CITM,” said Lisa Simon, NTA president. “Combining Brand USA’s marketing power with NTA’s experience in the Chinese market will produce an incredible opportunity for U.S. destinations and businesses.”
NTA notes it has been honored for its work in China three times in the last year, most recently taking the top prize for the 2012 Chinese Tourists Welcoming Award, presented last week by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. In December, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded NTA a Certificate of Appreciation for Achievement in Trade for “exceptional contributions to U.S. travel and tourism exports in the China market.” Last May, NTA won the Gold Award in the “My Dream Destination” competition at the World Travel Fair in Shanghai.
Brand USA is the new tourism marketing entity responsible for promoting the United States to world visitors. This week in Los Angeles at the International Pow Wow Brand USA unveiled the nation’s first-ever comprehensive marketing campaign. The campaign employs a fully integrated marketing strategy to showcase the diversity of experiences available to visitors in the United States, NTA reports.
Brand USA was established by the Travel Promotion Act in 2010 to spearhead the nation’s first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures.
Visit www.DiscoverAmerica.com or www.ntaonline.com