We want to maintain and grow the legacy Obama created… and I’m confident we can work hand in hand with the new administration,” Brand USA’s UK and Ireland travel trade director proudly states.
My conversation with Gerry Boyle is a timely one.
We speak just days before America is due to inaugurate its 45th president, Donald Trump, bidding farewell to Barack Obama. It would be remiss of me not to ask Boyle about such a moment in US political history, with the outgoing president considered one of Brand USA’s founding fathers, having helped pave the way for its creation in 2010 when he signed the Travel Promotion Act into law.
Boyle is adamant though that a new pair of feet on the Oval Office desk will not impact the destination representation firm and its mandate to grow tourism to the States.
“We will have open arms moving forward and when the new administration sees the value of the Travel Promotion Act – its economic benefit, its job creation – we’re confident it will be business as usual,” he insists.
“We’re just focused on getting the great story that the USA has to tell out there to the trade.”
Brand USA will look to do just that and recruit, as Boyle puts it, “a new legion of brand ambassadors” for the destination through its next USA MegaFam, which takes place from May 11-18.
The multi-destination educational will host a record 107 agents from the UK and Ireland – up from 100 in 2016 – on one of seven itineraries before the groups meet for a grand finale event in Chicago. As on previous MegaFams, the itineraries will run simultaneously and are designed to provide agents with a fresh perspective on the USA.
But despite using this tried and tested format – now in its fifth consecutive year – Boyle says Brand USA will “turn up the dial” for the MegaFam class of 2017.
