‘We’ve got that southern saying that means everyone is welcome and we think this is especially important in the current environment around geopolitics, economics and challenges effecting travel generally,’ says Liz Bittner, president and CEO of Travel South. ‘The number one way to dispel rumours is to address them personally and help the trade and their clients to understand the facts beyond what they might see in media both social and traditional.’
Atlanta based Bittner, who was in Auckland yesterday with 20 plus representatives from the 12 Travel South States, says the FIFA World Cup, for which Atlanta and Kansas City are amongst the host locations, is an important part of a positive narrative.
‘The social media coming out of the event is fabulous and it’s authentic story telling from people who are not just going to the games but dining out, meeting the local people and walking the streets. These are experiences you don’t see on slick promotional videos and they really help to sell America.’
She says the Travel South roadshow (which heads to Australia today) will be emphasising the region’s pillars such as food and being the birthplace of Americana music.
‘Something we perhaps don’t talk about enough are our National Parks and State Parks – three times more people visit the Great Smokey Mountains than they do the Grand Canyon for example.’
She says the southern parks are not subject to new fees, are not crowded and have spectacular landscapes and opportunities for hiking and biking.
‘Clients can combine the outdoors with our small towns, food and city life.’
Travel South is also focusing on the ease of road-tripping, using the Houston gateway connected by Air New Zealand and heading to states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and others.
‘We have the Mardi Gras Express train now too, travelling between Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans. There are a lot of stops in Mississippi along the way and people can get on and off. It’s like a road-trip by train.’
