Although two-thirds of agents in a snap poll by TTG thought President Trump’s actions were deterring clients from booking holidays to the US, operators remain more bullish about the impact that politics is having on travel and tourism. David Pointer, senior product manager, Caribbean, North America and Australasia at Inspiring Travel, offers his tips for the best value US holidays and how to avoid disruption caused by Doge cutbacks in US national parks:
“Overall – in spite of the geopolitical headlines – it is business as usual for us in the USA. The USA is very much a destination and area of the world we are continuing to promote and see great feedback from the trade; in fact, we have invested in the region by employing three more USA & Canada specialists in the last six months.
Destinations such as Cape Cod on the Atlantic coastline and ranch holidays in the Mid-West continue to be popular destinations for travel agents. We continue to promote our USA travel specialists to the trade, and in a normal week, we’ll promote the USA twice via our social media channels.
In terms of the current political situation and Doge potentially affecting the national parks with its workforce cuts, we suggest booking private guides as they are experts in their regions and will have to hand current information of any disruptions or last-minute park closures and can adapt our clients’ itineraries accordingly to reduce any impact. There may be limited facilities in the parks and information centres operating limited hours, so planning and keeping up to date with any changes in each park is crucial.
We’ve seen an increase in bookings to New England, particularly Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. Our clients are seeking more authentic experiences with charming quintessentially New England boutique hotels, such as Wauwinet in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection in Kennebunk, Maine, are a popular choice. In New England, most of our itineraries are self-drive, but we can arrange private transfers and private guides.
Destinations enjoyed at a slower pace with wide-open spaces and plenty of national parks to visit are at the top of clients’ wish lists this year, destinations such as Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. A 10-night holiday to New England or Utah is often at a lower price than other North America regions, so with the cost-of-living crisis still in many people’s minds, these regions are a great choice for a USA holiday. They can be better value due to more competitive flight routes to the East Coast, plus the product we use is more independent over bigger brands and resorts elsewhere.
Our top USA destination is still Orlando and, with Universal Epic Universe due to open at Universal Orlando on 22 May 2025, it’s proving to be in more demand than ever. Florida has some exciting new openings such as the St. Regis Longboat Key, which opened last year, and Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, due to open late 2025.
These two additions to the luxury offering on Florida’s Gulf Coast make the perfect beach extension to a busy time visiting the theme parks in Orlando. We are seeing demand in Orlando theme parks and beach combinations. This has always been popular with most families heading to West Palm Beach but with St Regis Longboat now open, this offers another option hence us adding an Orlando and Longboat Key itinerary to our website.
We’re excited to see Waldorf Astoria New York reopening this year. The hotel closed in 2017 for a multimillion-dollar restoration and, after a few delays, it is now due to open with reservations accepted for arrivals from 1 September 2025. It has always been one of the most iconic and opulent addresses on Park Avenue; I am excited to see this legendary hotel open again, it will be magnificent, and after such a long closure, demand will be high.
With most hotel pricing being dynamic now, prices change constantly, so booking early for seasonal destinations is key but you can get some great deals on city breaks if there is late availability. We suggest avoiding popular beaches on weekends, such as Santa Barbara and Huntington Beach, when they are busy with the domestic market. In Miami try to avoid dates when big festivals or parties are taking place, such as Ultra Music Festival or Art Basel, unless your clients are specifically visiting for that event.
Family holidays to Hawaii are popular this year, with all the ingredients to create the perfect luxury family experience. Hawaii offers a mix of adventure, relaxation, culture and luxurious accommodation. We recommend visiting at least two islands, but adding a third island to an itinerary will elevate the overall experience further. With so much to see and do on each island, every member of the family is catered to so it’s really memorable. Hawaii has been the backdrop of so many movies and TV programmes over recent years and this has helped drive more interest in the region.
Demand for California has dropped, but the main booking season is from now so I am confident it will recover quickly.”
