Ahead of the training day for Canadian Agents, Brand USA president and CEO, Christopher Thomson, told Travel Industry Today that Canada is going to play a key role in the United States’ ability to recover. A recent survey showed large numbers of Canadians indicating that their first choice of destination once the borders are open will be to the US. “Canada is the largest source market for inbound travel to the US with nearly 21 million Canadians visitors in 2019,” said Thompson, “so it is very encouraging to see these responses. These results reinforce the fact that our countries share so much more than a border.”
“We have strong cultural, economic, and social bonds, and I know Americans will be equally as excited to welcome Canadians back when the time is right.”
Brand USA’s recovery plan begins with building consumer confidence, so when health experts and government officials determine it is safe to open the land border between the US and Canada, Thompson told us, “we will work closely with the travel trade community to help us communicate with travellers, provide reassurance, and remind people of all the amazing destinations and experiences the US has to offer.”
Given that 46% of the survey respondents had said their preferred mode of travel right now is by vehicle (car, van, or camper), we wondered whether the high ‘drive’ ratio, would result in a concentration on drive destinations and then mused that virtually all US destinations are potentially ‘drive’ to Canadians.
Thompson agreed, “Yes, all destinations within the continental United States are within driving distance to our Canadian friends. We know once the borders open back up again, people will want to reconnect with family, friends, and favorite destinations. So, it is no surprise that we are seeing an increased interest in road trips. The United States offers amazing road trip opportunities from Maine to Florida, Michigan to Texas, Washington to Arizona, Alaska to Washington, D.C., and everything in between.”
However, he stressed that it is also important for Canadians to remember that air travel between the US and Canada is open.
Brand USA has resources available for consumers on VisitTheUSA.com, as well as valuable resources specifically for travel trade on http://traveltrade.visittheusa.com. The site features multi-night, multi-state opportunities, Insider guides which have bookable road trips, and information about US-based receptive operators who can book these trips, and which are commissionable, on behalf of travel agents.
We asked Thompson to address Canadian concerns about the current high levels of violence in the US and he didn’t duck the question.
“We understand reading these headlines can cause concern for travellers. It is a concern for us, too. As an organization, and as citizens, we are saddened by the rise in rhetoric and hate crimes. These incidents fly in the face of ideals on which our country was created. Our nation’s foundational strengths lie in its diversity of people and the eclectic mix of cultures. Our job is to build confidence in travel to the USA with resources like safe travel tips and what to know before you go, and to remind visitors that the majority of what they love about America hasn’t changed – it’s all about our diversity of destinations, experiences and people.”
In order to reach Canadian travellers, Thompson told us that Brand USA will use a mix of consumer-facing marketing through its United Stories campaign while also working directly with the Canadian travel trade, “who will be more important than ever in a post-COVID world.”
Programs, like the USA Training Day – Canada, offer Canadian trade access to the dynamic Brand USA Global Marketplace platform filled with resources, including video content, itineraries, off-the-beaten-path destinations, and generally acts as the go-to resource to help encourage clients to travel to, through, and beyond traditional gateways, said Thompson and reiterated an important fact – air travel to the US from Canada remains open.
“I know our colleagues and destinations are excited to welcome Canadians back,” he said, “and, as consumers begin to move from travel dreaming to trip planning and booking, it is helpful to understand any COVID-related travel guidance issued by specific federal, state and local governments.”
Brand USA has a compilation link that will be an invaluable resource, said Thompson, check it out at http://traveltrade.visittheusa.com/us-covid-19-travel-guidelines.