Record visitation numbers, exciting new developments, hotels and products are all set to be showcased in the upcoming East Coast USA Mission to Australia and New Zealand.

The delegation will include New York City, New York State, New England, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and they will be in Auckland 18 July, Melbourne 19 July, Sydney 20-21 July, concluding in Brisbane 22 July.

The four-city Mission will feature a series of events including B2B sessions, press events and travel agent expos.  Door prizes provided by the delegation will be awarded at each expo, and agents will also be given the chance to win places on an East Coast USA familiarisation, taking place later in the year, with flights supplied by official airline partner American Airlines.

New York

“The East Coast of the United States has never been more accessible for Australians with competitive flights, a variety of gateways and experts with more information than ever on where to go and what to do,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company.

Australians continue to be the fifth largest international market to New York City and the third highest spenders.

“We love Australians and New Zealanders because they enjoy extended stays and are intrepid travellers, seeking out our lesser known neighbourhoods and boroughs for truly authentic experiences,” said Dixon.  “New York City remains in the top three international destinations for Australians because of the City’s continual evolution – new hotels, attractions, exhibitions and tourism development.”

Empire State Development Executive Director of Tourism, I LOVE NEW YORK, Gavin Landry added, “As a result of historic investments and continued support for tourism destinations statewide, New York State is proud to welcome nearly 650,000 Australian travellers each year.”

“We look forward to continuing to build awareness of our world-renowned destinations, grow the state’s global footprint, and encourage Australian and New Zealand travellers to experience the rich culture, history and adventure of New York State’s 11 vacation regions year-round.”

New England

Lori Harnois, Executive Director of Discover New England said, “We are seeing 15.7 per cent growth year on year from Australian and New Zealand visitors as they explore beyond the gateways of Boston, New York City and Montreal Canada.  Specifically, more than 69,000 Australians visit annually with an average length of stay of 8.9 nights.  This has a total economic impact of more than US$80 million to the region”.

Discover New England is bringing eight partners to Australia and New Zealand as part of its continued investment into the market.  “New England resonates extremely well with the intrepid Oceania traveller due to the diverse product offering inclusive of rich history and architecture, stunning vistas throughout the year including the amazing Fall Foliage,” said Harnois.

Washington D.C.

In 2014, Australia was DC’s fifth international market with 86,000 visitors, an increase of 28 per cent from 2013.

Elliott L. Ferguson II, President and CEO of Destination DC explains, “Increased airlift from New Zealand and Australia to the U.S. is making the East Coast a more desirable location among our Oceanic travellers.”

“In DC, we have US$9.6 billion in development underway, including a US$2 billion Wharf project on the waterfront as well as new restaurants, nightlife and major hotel openings.  It’s all contributing to increased interest in the region and providing even more opportunity for visitors to experience Washington beyond the iconic National Mall.”

Philadelphia

Philadelphia is centrally located between New York City and Washington, DC, and its compact, walkable and safe downtown is accessible and affordable. Learn about the beginnings of America at Independence National Historical Park, take in the world-class art collections along Museum Mile or enjoy outdoor activities in one of the city’s many picturesque parks.

Brian Said, Executive Director of Tourism, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “Savvy travellers are beginning to combine multiple cities in the northeast region to maximise their experience.  Australians and New Zealanders will be excited by the tax-free shopping on clothes and shoes in addition to the great value on accommodation.”

“According to our latest official statistics from 2014, Australian travellers contributed over US$23 million in total economic impact to the Philadelphia region. This puts them among our highest spending customers and based on a projected 35 per cent growth in visitation by 2020, it is a market that we see great potential in for future years. Not only are we seeing an increase in length-of-stay, but Australian visitors to Philadelphia spend, on average, 40 per cent more than the average overseas traveller to our city,” Said concluded.

For more information on the East Coast USA Mission 2016 contact Svetlana Monastyrsky at Svet@gate7.com.au or #EastCoastUSA.