Brand USA Hosted Second Largest Pavilion at the IFTM Top Resa 2017
Brand USA showcased the largest U.S. presence ever at the International French Travel Market (IFTM) Top Resa 2017 with over 50 exhibiting U.S. destinations and travel service providers featured in the second largest pavilion for an individual country.
IFTM Top Resa, France’s leading international trade show held at Paris Porte de Versailles from September 26-29, 2017 attracted over 500 exhibitors and recorded an attendance of over 30,000 travel trade professionals.
Brand USA registered a 21 percent increase in exhibitors over last year at its 3,000-square-foot pavilion, co-sponsored with the Visit USA Committee/France (VUSA/France), one of the largest chapters of the Visit USA Committee with 147 members. With a total of 51 exhibiting U.S. destinations and travel service providers, Brand USA welcomed 31 returning exhibitors as well as 20 new ones this year.
As the second largest country pavilion at the trade show, Brand USA exhibitors reported increased visibility, resulting in “excellent traffic and quality business meetings with trade professionals and buyers.” Brand USA and VUSA/France garnered all-around positive comments from exhibitors and tour operators. VUSA/France Vice President Maureen Lachant said she received, “only praise from the participants for the show as far as visitation and the stand were concerned.”
The increased visibility of the Brand USA Pavilion comes as France continues to be a major market for inbound travel to the United States. France is the ninth-ranked overseas market for U.S. inbound travel with over 1.6 million visitors traveling to the U.S. in 2016.
Brand USA and Visit USA Committee France welcomed to their “Get Together Cocktail Celebration” over 160 guests, including exhibitors, travel agents, tour operators, airlines, and members of the media. VUSA/France President Geoffrey Duval expressed gratitude that the attending travel trade professionals continue to tell travelers they are “Welcome to the USA.”
Many exhibitors said they plan to return to the IFTM Top Resa 2018, scheduled for September 25-28, 2018.