There was an emotional farewell in Sydney this week as Visit USA President Caroline Davidson was recognised at the final stop of the Visit USA Expo Series, marking the end of her four-year tenure in the volunteer role after many years championing travel to America.
Davidson was honoured during the closing event, with Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), offering a toast to acknowledge her contribution to the sector.
The tribute capped off a successful three-city roadshow, which concluded in Sydney following earlier events in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Almost 600 travel agents attended across the series, connecting with around 60 exhibitors from across the United States who shared updates on destinations, experiences, attractions and major hotel brands.
Host Simon Brook McLachlan brought his trademark energy to proceedings, while agents sampled Cloud 9 cocktails from Aspen Snowmass, experienced Nevada through virtual reality, tasted Portland’s Aviation American Gin and sat for live caricature portraits.
Davidson said the Expo Series plays a vital role in promoting travel to the United States and strengthening ties between Australian agents and US partners.
“Travel agents play a vital role in inspiring Australians to experience everything the United States has to offer – from culture and cuisine to music, nightlife, sports and landscapes. The Visit USA Expos bring this to life for agents, making the series a powerful way to connect them with our US partners,” she said.
“We were thrilled by the energy and engagement the travel agent community brought to each event. They came out in force to discover the latest from the USA and we value everything they do here in Australia.”
This year’s all-marketplace format returned, giving agents more one-on-one time with exhibitors while discovering new product updates and building industry connections. A new social media competition on @visitusa_au also sparked creativity and friendly rivalry among attendees.
