What are you currently doing to support your sales and marketing objectives? Sales missions? Travel trade strategy? A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review sponsored by British Airways clearly shows that face to face meetings are essential to conducting business and investing in your relationships (both old and new). Here are some of the key points from this report for your consideration:

Highlights

• 79% view in-person meetings as a highly effective way to meet new clients to sell business
• 87% agree that face to face meetings are essential to “sealing the deal”
• 95% agree that face to face meetings are key to building long-term relationships
• Face to face meetings are more effective than videoconferences, teleconferences, and webinars

Specifically – face to face meetings are seen as most effective for:

• Negotiations on important contracts
• Interviewing senior staff for key positions
• Understanding and listening to important customers

If you’re interested in learning more – click here for the British Airways sponsored report on Managing Across Distance in Today’s Economic Climate.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announces that 5.4 million international visitors traveled to the United States in August 2009, a decrease of four percent compared to August 2008. Total visitation in the first eight months of 2009 was down nine percent compared to the same period in 2008.

Highlights^{(1) (2)}

Canada and Mexico

• In August 2009, Canadian visitation declined six percent compared to August 2008. Measured by mode, land arrivals (1.9 million) declined by eight percent and air arrivals (496,000) increased four percent. In the first eight months of 2009, visitation from Canada decreased eight percent, with land arrivals (8.3 million) down nine percent and air arrivals (4.1 million) down eight percent.
• Visitation from Mexico (traveling to interior U.S. points) totaled 546,000, up 23 percent in August 2009. For the month, land arrivals (415,000) increased 37 percent and air arrivals (130,000) decreased seven percent. Overall, traffic for the first eight months of 2009 was down six percent, with land arrivals (2.9 million) down one percent and air arrivals (939,000) down 19 percent.

Overseas (excluding Canada and Mexico)

• Overseas visitation decreased six percent in August 2009 and dropped nine percent year-to-date.

Top 20 Countries

• In August 2009, of the top 20 countries 11 posted decreases in visitation to the United States, and visitation from five of the top 20 countries registered double-digit declines.
• In August 2009, Mexico, PRC & Hong Kong, Brazil, and the Bahamas registered double-digit increases.
• In the first eight months of 2009, 17 of the top 20 countries posted decreases in visitation to the United States, with visitation from eight countries registering double-digit declines.

Click here to access the 2009 monthly arrivals data for Canada and Mexico, Overseas, and the Top 20 Countries.

OVERSEAS VISITATION

• U.S. visitation from the 27 European Union countries declined 11 percent in August 2009 and also dropped 11 percent from the first eight months of 2008.
• U.S. visits from Western Europe, 1.1 million visitors, were down 11 percent in August 2009. Year-to-date, arrivals (7.2 million) also decreased 11 percent.
• For the month and year-to-date, visitors from Western Europe accounted for 47 percent of all overseas visitors.
  • U.S. visits from the United Kingdom, 385,000 visitors, were down 13 percent in August 2009, accounting for 34 percent of all Western European arrivals. Year-to-date, visitation from the United Kingdom dropped 16 percent and accounted for 35 percent of all Western European visitors.
  • German visits were up one percent for the month and down six percent year-to-date. At the same time, French arrivals decreased nine percent in August 2009 and are down three percent for the year.
  • Italian visitation was down 15 percent in August 2009 and down seven percent year-to-date. Visitors from the Netherlands were down two percent for the month and down 11 percent for the year. Spanish visits decreased 20 percent in August 2009 and decreased 12 percent in the first eight months.
  • Visitation from Ireland decreased 25 percent for the month, and was down 20 percent for the year. Visitors from Switzerland and Sweden were up one percent and down 15 percent, respectively, for the month.In the first eight months, visits from Switzerland increased two percent while visits from Sweden decreased 19 percent.
• Eastern European visits were down seven percent for the month, and flat for the year. Russian visitation decreased seven percent for the month, and was flat for the year.
• Visitation from Asia decreased four percent in August 2009 and 14 percent in the first eight months of 2009.
  • Japanese visits were eight percent below the August 2008 visitor levels, and down 16 percent in the first eight months of 2009. Japan accounted for 48 percent of all Asian visitors for the month and 50 percent of Asian visitors in the first eight months of 2009.
  • In August 2009, visitation from South Korea and India declined four percent and 11 percent, respectively. Year-to-date, arrivals from South Korea and India dropped 11 percent and 12 percent, respectively.In August 2009 arrivals from the People’s Republic of China were up 35 percent and increased one percent for the year.
  • Taiwanese visitation dropped 12 percent for the month and was down 23 percent year-to-date.
• U.S. visitation from South America increased nine percent in August 2009 and increased four percent in the first eight months of 2009.
  • Brazilian visitation was up 35 percent for the month and up 11 percent in the first eight months. Brazil is the top visitation market from South America; and in the first eight months of 2009 accounted for 32 percent of visits from the region. U.S. visits from Venezuela increased three percent in August 2009 but declined one percent for the year.
  • U.S. visitation from Colombia decreased seven percent for the month and dropped four percent year-to-date. Argentine visits increased one percent in August 2009 and grew nine percent for the year.
• Central American visits decreased four percent in August 2009 bringing the region to a five percent decline for the year.
• U.S. visitation from the Caribbean decreased two percent in August 2009 and dropped four percent for the year.
  • Visitation from the Dominican Republic, the top visitation market from the Caribbean region for the year, decreased four percent in August 2009 and declined six percent for the year.
  • In August 2009 there was a 24 percent increase in visits from the Bahamas. Year-to-date, visits were up 15 percent.
• Travel from Oceania increased one percent in August 2009 but decreased three percent year-to-date.
  • Visits from Australia were up three percent in August 2009 but registered a two percent decrease year-to-date. Australia accounted for 82 percent of all visits from Oceania in the first eight months of 2009.
• U.S. visitation from the Middle East increased one percent in August 2009 and was down three percent year-to-date.
  • Israeli visitation to the United States increased six percent in August 2009 and dropped seven percent year-to-date.
• U.S. visitation from Africa decreased eight percent in August 2009 and declined nine percent for the year.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce

With a brand boost for North America – it was great to hear that the United States and Canada recently took the top spots for country brand strength.

With the U.S. taking top spot for the first time – it was difficult to imagine that Australia would drop down to number 3. The fifth annual Country Brand Index (CBI) showed that Canada’s investment in international marketing is starting to pay off. With the approach of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canada is in a great position to extend its tourism message even further.

____________________________

“The Country Brand Index (CBI) features expert opinions, statistics and proprietary global quantitative data to create the largest study of its kind. Assessing 102 countries across 29 image attributes and seven measures of brand strength, it also contains an extensive array of trends, insights and topical points of view.”

CBI is a comprehensive study of international business and leisure travelers from nine countries, and examines how countries are branded and ranked, and identifies emerging global trends in the world’s fastest growing economic sector – travel and tourism. For more information please visit FutureBrand.

Author Seth Godin has brought us books like Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside, All Marketers are Liars, The Dip and most recently Tribes to name a few.

Tribes is not only about change – its about leadership. Seth Godin, whether consciously or not – is leading his growing tribe of followers- book by book, lecture by lecture. Why? Because he is never afraid to challenge the status quo (and you can too).

Godin defines a tribe as a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea that inspires their passion. He argues that human beings have a need to belong, “to be part of a tribe, to contribute to (and take from) a group of like-minded people. We are drawn to leaders and to their ideas, and we can’t resist the rush of belonging and the thrill of the new,” he writes. Source: USA Today

Tribes is about a new kind of leadership – the kind of leadership that has emerged through the Internet, in chat rooms, in social media and in communities. If you’re ready to be remarkable – to lead a tribe – put on a pair of army pants, buy Seth’s book and get ready to pursue something that matters (to you).

GPS is sexy. We get that a lot. And we have organizations contact us because they are excited about the market appeal of GPS – and the perception that GPS alone will attract new customers.

But GPS tourism is like any new application of technology in an industry – when the appeal wears off – you just want it to work and work well. If you look at GPS more closely, what you’ll find is a constellation of 27 Earth-orbiting satellites (24 are in use with three back-up satellites) and GPS receivers that are used to communicate with these satellites.

While how we apply GPS in the tourism industry is exciting – GPS does not attract more visitors or sell more tickets. The gig is up. Why?

Because it’s the passenger experience that counts.

Travelers are seeking fun, entertainment, cultural enrichment and activities where they can learn something new. While GPS contributes to making the experience happen (we automate sightseeing experiences in one or many languages), GPS is only a tool we use for solving logistical and safety issues such as no driver intervention required or communicating to our TriggerPOINT system to play 8 languages simultaneously at a specific point of interest.

While the appeal of GPS is stronger for those of us who happen to love technology, for everyone else – the magic lies in the storytelling. It’s fun and entertaining sightseeing experiences that sell more tickets – by providing memorable sightseeing experiences people want to talk about – and recommend.

While GPS is sexy – this sex appeal only lasts for a few dates. Where the long term relationship begins – is in creating and providing exceptional sightseeing experiences that ignites your passengers’ imaginations and creates fun and lasting memories for your customers every time your tours depart.

Phil Davies, writing for TravelMole reports that:

The use of micro blogging site Twitter is gaining rapid penetration within the travel industry, according to a new study:

• More than half of users (52%) tweeted between four and 10 times a day, with over a quarter sending more than 10 Twitter updates daily.
• Managing directors, commercial directors, hotel owners and government officials are actively using the social media tool to forge connections with their customers and stakeholders.
• Of particular interest is the amount of travelling done by the sample (62% travelling internationally three or more times a year) and the fact that more than 60% used Twitter to connect with local suppliers, hoteliers or transport companies before they travelled, with 28.8% reporting that they made a reservation following an initial contact on Twitter.
• This suggests that travellers are starting to move beyond merely looking for information on destinations and services, and are actually making buying decisions based on their Twitter conversations.
• Those suppliers who are able to engage with these buyers at an early stage are claiming a distinct advantage.

Twitter has enabled us to open up new conversations with destinations and tour operators. You can follow us @audioconexus

Source: TravelMole. To read the full story click here: Travel industry tweet-rate rising

This Volkswagen experiment called the “The Fun Theory” shows why having more fun is always the first choice for most people. And did we forget to mention that this video has already had over 6 million views in 4 weeks!

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that international visitors spent an estimated $9.9 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of August—an increase of 1 percent over July 2009.

However, when compared to the same period last year, international visitor spending is down more than 21 percent for the month.

• Travel Receipts: Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $7.8 billion for the month, a decrease of more than 20 percent in comparison with last year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
• Passenger Fare Receipts: Fares received by U.S. carriers (and U.S. vessel operators) from international visitors decreased nearly 25 percent to $2.1 billion for the month, a decrease of more than $700 million when compared to August 2008.

Monthly Travel and Tourism Highlights

• Year-to-date (January–August) travel and tourism-related exports totaled $79.4 billion, down more than 17 percent ($16.4 billion) when compared to 2008.
• International visitors are not the only ones who have curtailed their spending; in fact, year-to-date travel and tourism-related imports—spending by Americans abroad— totaled $65.9 billion, down more than 12 percent ($9.3 billion) when compared to last year.
• The U.S. travel and tourism industry has generated a $13.5 billion trade surplus (i.e., exports minus imports) year to date, nearly $7.1 billion less favorable than the same period last year.
• The recent downturn in U.S. travel and tourism exports, beginning in the closing months of 2008, interrupted more than sixty consecutive months of positive growth.

The U.S. Department of Commerce projects international travel to the United States to regain its footing by 2010 following its first forecasted year of decline (2009) since 2003. Reflective of the current global economic environment, international travel is forecasted to decline by 8 percent in 2009. A 3 percent rebound is projected for the United States by the end of 2010, followed by 5 percent annual increases through 2013.

Visitors to St. Augustine experience North America’s oldest city while being captivated by ghost stories and paranormal phenomena on walking tour experiences that intertwine with St. Augustine’s rich history and magnificent architectural ambiance. SAGPS Adventure Tours Shivers and Awe provides thrilling walking tour experiences and on-site interpretation, including compelling narratives, engaging musical soundtracks, photography, text, and interactive maps based on the location of the user.

Rich walking tour experiences offers visitors to St. Augustine compelling stories and outstanding audio theatre experiences. Shivers & Awe lives up to its name, it’s an experience our guests will never forget. Testimonials from satisfied visitors say it all:

“Such an awesome experience and we can’t wait to do it again.”

“I have and am going to recommend this tour to anyone that visit St. Augustine.”

“I have been telling everyone I know that if they come to St. Augustine they have to take the Shivers and Awe self guided tour. Great Job!”

“The tour was amazing, both Aisha and I have already told other people about it.”

“Thank you again for such a spooky and chilling ghost tour!!”

“‘Thank you’ for the amazing tour… The storyteller was fantastic; we loved his commentary and spooky voice. The music and sound effects were entertaining as well, and helped us get into the stories we were listening to. Even though we took the tour during the day, we still got the creeps! Thanks for a great adventure!”

“Just a note to say that we had a great vacation in St. Augustine and one of the highlights of the trip was the “Shivers and Awe” ghost tour. This is the best ghost tour I have ever taken–I felt as though I was on the set of Ghost Hunters! The sound effects, the sights of the ghosts and gravestones at night, the entire ghost tour, were awesome.”

“This tour was everything and more for me, especially on Halloween night! I loved the spookiness, and I’m a big history buff too! It had everything for all interests. Thanks for the best Halloween night in a long time!!!”

Tours trigger content around St. Augustine’s paranormal Points of Interest, providing location based experiences on a one hour walking tour route. A dditionally, all of the tour content can be viewed on demand, regardless of location, so visitors can learn about the areas they might not have time to visit.

Jonathan Stanley, President and CEO of AudioConexus Inc. “We worked closely with SAGPS Adventure Tours to deliver fun and entertaining experiences, presenting a series of ghost stories that turned me into a believer. St. Augustine is the epicentre of ghost activity and when I experienced the tour, I found myself on the edge of my seat, asking myself – is anybody there?”

Tours are available in English or Spanish. If you’re looking for a whole new way to experience St. Augustine – Shivers and Awe is sure to send shivers up your spine! Happy Hallows’ Eve from all of us at AudioConexus!

The U.S. Department of Commerce projects international travel to the United States to regain its footing by 2010 following its first forecasted year of decline (2009) since 2003. Reflective of the current global economic environment, international travel is forecasted to decline by 8 percent in 2009. A 3 percent rebound is projected for the United States by the end of 2010, followed by 5 percent annual increases through 2013.

These declines come after the United States hosted a record 58 million international visitors in 2008. The arrivals forecast for 2009-2013 predicts that the 2008 record will be broken in 2012 and in 2013. International arrivals will reach almost 64 million, an increase of 9 percent between 2008 and 2013.

The U.S. travel forecast was prepared by the Department of Commerce in conjunction with IHS Global Insight, Inc. (GII). Forecasts are derived from GII’s econometric travel forecasting model and are based on key economic and demographic variables as well as DOC consultation on non-economic travel factors as well as providing the count and historical arrivals data for the United States.

Forecast Highlights by Region

North America – The top two markets generating visitors to the U.S., Canada and Mexico, are forecasted to decline by 6 percent and 12 percent, respectively, in 2009, and to grow by 13 and 5 percent, respectively, from 2008 to 2013. Canada and Mexico are forecast to set new records in 2011 and 2013, respectively.

Europe – Visitors from Europe are expected to drop by 8 percent in 2009, the second largest decline among the world regions. Very small growth is forecast for 2010, followed by slow growth for the next three years. By 2013 arrivals from Europe will be one percent higher than the 2008 total. The United Kingdom is projected to post a 12 percent decline in 2009. Germany, France and Italy are the next largest arrivals markets within the region. Germany is forecasted to decline by eight percent in 2009, and France and Italy will fall by 1 and 6 percent, respectively. Among the top European markets, five countries are projected to have a 2013 visitor volume level that remains below the 2008 level—United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Sweden, and Belgium.

Asia-Pacific – Asia is projected to generate a decline of 11 percent in 2009-—the largest decline among the world regions—and then post four-to-seven percent annual increases over the next several years. The largest Asian market and second-largest overseas market, Japan, is forecast to drop by 13 percent in 2009, and then recover in 2010. Japan will continue to post slow growth through 2013, so that the United States will host 3.1 million Japanese visitors, down four percent from 2008. Korea will post a large decline in 2009 (-9%), and Australia, India and China will register smaller declines, but by 2013 all of the top Asian markets will post double digit increases when compared to 2008. China will increase by 64 percent compared to 2008, India (50%), Korea (12%), and Australia (16%).

South America – South America is projected to increase by one percent in 2009, and remain a leader in the growth in arrivals for the next several years. By 2013 South America will generate more than 3.2 million visitors, a 27 percent increase compared to 2008, and the highest growth rate among all of the world regions. Brazil, the largest source market from within the region, is expected to be up 6 percent in 2009. By 2013 the United States may host a record 1.1 million Brazilian visitors, a 41% increase over 2008 Argentina is forecast to post an increase of 5 percent in 2009 and increase a total of 30 percent by 2013. Venezuela and Colombia will register small declines in 2009, but rebound over the next several years.

If you interested in learning more about international travel to the United States (for travel to the United States for 2009-2013 for all world regions and over 40 countries) click here for official information: United States International Travel.

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries publishes visitation data for more than 200 countries that generate visitors to the United States, as well as visitation data for each world region. To learn more about international visitation and visitor spending in the United States, click here to access the 2008 data tables, and to read additional analyses of these data.