STATEMENT FROM CAROLINE BETETA, INTERIM CEO, BRAND USA
- on the Founding Partnership Contribution by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Brand USA is pleased to welcome the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) as a founding partner. The founding partner level is the highest offered, and the $2 million dollar cash contribution by Massachusetts ranks MOTT among one of our most significant partners to date.
Massachusetts was the sixth most visited state by overseas travelers in 2011, with more than 1.4 million visitors during the year.* The contribution between Brand USA and MOTT will enable us to expand our marketing effort in key overseas markets such as Europe, the United Kingdom and Canada. Elements being considered for the campaign, to be developed in consultation with MOTT, include digital and social media marketing, in-country representation and marketing efforts to influential international travel agents, international trade show presence and other forms of advertising and marketing to international travelers.
We are very excited that Massachusetts has joined our efforts at this critical stage of the campaign to increase international visitation to the United States. Intent to visit the United States has increased significantly in Brand USA’s consumer launch markets within just three months since the campaign was introduced in May: up 13 points in Canada, 17 points in the UK and 11 points in Japan. The state of Massachusetts is a diverse and culturally rich destination, and we look forward to engaging with Massachusetts to build upon these positive results.”
Source
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Association, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries
(May 2012).
The top 6 markets in 2011 for overseas travelers to the United States were:
(1) New York (2) California (3) Florida (4) Nevada (5) Hawaiian Islands (6) Massachusetts (5.1% share)
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/2011_States_…
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About Brand USA
Brand USA is the nation’s destination marketing organization, dedicated to attracting legitimate international inbound travel to strengthen the U.S. economy, increase exports, create quality jobs, and promote community prosperity. By running data-driven campaigns and unifying messaging across industry and government, Brand USA positions the United States as a top global destination while providing current visa and entry information.
Since 2012 Brand USA, in collaboration with travel industry partners, has been responsible for attracting an additional 10.3 million visitors who spent nearly $35 billion in the United States, generating $76 billion in economic output, and sustaining nearly 40,000 jobs per year. Without any cost to taxpayers, these efforts have generated $10 billion in tax receipts and returned $20 to the U.S. economy for every dollar spent.