Brand USA has predicted that the Australian market will grow 39% by 2018 through industry collaboration, trade promotions and consumer advertising.
Speaking at the final Ausmerica mega-famil function, Brand USA global partnership development vice president Jay Gray said that the 50 Australian travel agent participants would help achieve these numbers.
“This year we are on track to welcome 1.2 million visitors from Australia but looking to 2018 we see that growing by at least 39%, a growth of 400,000 visitors,” Gray said.
Brand USA will begin running consumer advertising in Australia from February next year.
“Australia is a key market for us at Brand USA, you are the number eight long-haul source market,” Gray said.
The Ausmerica mega-famil was a collaboration between Brand USA and Qantas, with Qantas responsible for carrying 50% of the Australian market.
“The next 12 months is about growth and it is about working together to sell America and Qantas into the future,” Qantas senior executive vice president for the Americas Vanessa Hudson said.
The mega-famil saw agents visit Louisiana, Texas, New York, Florida and Arizona.
“The states were chosen to highlight the diversity of Qantas’ network – Dallas, New York and LA are the three gateways,” Gate 7 managing director and Brand USA Australia representative Jo Palmer said.
Other destinations such as New Orleans, Boston and Miami are areas that Brand USA sees potential for great growth.
“It’s about selling the amazing breadth and depth of this country to Australian customers,” Hudson added.
After the inaugural Australian mega-famil, Brand USA is now looking to interact with trade through online training programs.
“We’re not ready to launch that yet but its definitely something we want to do in the next 12 months,” Palmer said.
