4 US Travel Association Industry Takeaways from MPI Chicago Industry Xchange

On July 9, MPI Chicago and 11 other organizations gathered at Navy Pier for Industry Xchange Chicago.

Nan Marchand Beavois, Senior Director, National Council Relations at U.S. Travel Association [USTA], was the keynote speaker.

Nan is a strategic leader with 20+ years of travel industry experience. Prior to joining U.S. Travel, she served as the executive director of the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she branded the city as a year-round business and leisure destination in the competitive Los Angeles market. Concurrently, she led an aggressive sales program for its expanding convention center.
USTA is a 73 year old trade association that runs like a business with an entrepreneurial spirit. USTA is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $2.1 trillion in economic output and supports 14.9 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States.

4 US Travel Association Industry Takeaways from Chicago Industry Xchange

At Industry Xchange, Nan covered four USTA initiatives:

1. Reauthorizing Brand USA, a campaign for International audiences
2. Building champions in Congress who support a plan to revitalize America’s infrastructure
3. Proving the benefits of travel to US citizens with #TravelEffect and
4. Demonstrating the value of face to face meetings with Meetings Mean Business / #MMBusiness

Reauthorizing Brand USA

Did you know Austria has a larger tourism budget than the USA?

Many countries do. Brand USA is our national tourism organization that promotes the US internationally.

For every $1 invested, Brand USA returns $47 to the US economy – at no cost to taxpayers.

Whether you’re planning an event, dreaming about vacation, or looking for ways to promote the US to international visitors, you’ll find lots of resources and ideas to guide you at DiscoverAmerica.com and BrandUSA.com.

Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization, and MacGillivray Freeman Films is producing a film for giant screen theaters that celebrates the USA as a top travel destination. With a planned release in mid-2015 to honor the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service, this film will focus on one of the nation’s must treasured assets–the U.S. National Parks and Federally managed lands. Here’s the trailer.

Revitalizing America’s Infrastructure: I’m Stuck App

Ever been stuck – in traffic, at the airport, or anywhere while you’re traveling or commuting?

Congestion and delays often complicate travel and they’re getting worse. USTA’s travel studies project future congestion at airports and on highways.

For example, everyday traffic on I-65 from Chicago to Indianapolis will be equal to Labor Day congestion by 2033. Chicago’s airports have until 2024 to improve conditions before reaching congestion equal to Thanksgiving traffic every day.

Without infrastructure improvements, travelers will avoid congestion and stay home, which will negatively impact jobs and spending.
Dubai is now the number one airport in the world; the U.S. doesn’t have one airport in the top 25.
The U.S. is 24^th overall in transportation and innovation.

In other countries, trains are making a comeback. Nations around the world are investing in high-speed rail. In Japan, trains travel at 310mph. In the U.S., trains run at up to 80 mph. If we had the same speed as Japan, it would take 24 minutes to travel from Philadelphia to New York. Commuting would be quicker and the cost of living lower.

To make legislators aware of transportation and infrastructure issues, USTA developed an app in partnership with Building America’s Future called “I’m Stuck.”

If you’re stuck anywhere, you can click on where you’re stuck and send a message to your elected official to communicate your frustrations. For more information, visit BAFuture.org.

The Travel Effect: The Day Off Deficit

Do you take all of your paid time off vacation days?

Research shows that 42% of Americans don’t take all of their vacation days. On average, 3.2 days per person is left on the table. If everyone used one unused day of time off, it would add $160 billion to the economy and 1.2 million jobs.

Looking to the red wine industry’s success as being “good for you,” USTA’s day off deficit campaign communicates the benefits of travel to shift mindsets to think of travel as being more beneficial in videos and #TravelEffect infographics.

Convinced? Get those extra vacation days on the calendar and go places!

Meetings Mean Business

How does the face-to-face meeting factor impact business?

The Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) was created in 2009 by the U.S. Travel Association to showcase the incredible value that business meetings, travel and events bring to the U.S. economy. Its members span all facets of the face-to-face industry, which have come together behind a common goal: providing the resources, tools and information to show the real impact the industry has on businesses, economies and communities. Source: MeetingsMeanBusiness.com

The Meetings Mean Business toolkit includes business travel stats and business travel social media updates you can use in your proposals and promotions like this one: Business travel fuels growth. For every dollar U.S. companies invest in business travel they realize $9.50 in new revenue.

How do use USTA’s tools in your meeting and event planning and promotions?