South Korean Tour Operators See ‘American Wild,’ Get Brand USA Updates at Roadshow Seminars
Brand USA South Korea, with the support of eight U.S. travel-industry partners, recently conducted a series of three seminars for South Korean tour operators. A total of 320 participants – representing the tour operators, U.S partners, and media outlets – attended the 2018 seminars in Gwangju (Nov. 26), Busan (Dec. 4), and Seoul (Dec. 6). The Gwangju and Busan seminars each drew 100 participants, the one in Seoul had 120.
Industry partners included: Korean Air, United Airlines, Air Canada, Visit California, Discover Los Angeles, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and Hertz.
Each event featured a 3-D presentation of Brand USA’s first giant-screen documentary “American Wild: National Parks Adventure.” Brand USA produced the film in partnership with MacGillivray Freeman Films as a tribute to the centennial of the U.S. National Park Service. It was released in 2016. The 40-minute film, narrated by Robert Redford, follows three adventurers as they encounter the natural wonders and inspiring landscapes of well-known U.S. national parks.
Brand USA South Korea also screened a trailer for “America’s Musical Journey,” Brand USA’s second giant-screen production. Released early in 2018, “America’s Musical Journey" traces the evolution of the signature styles of American music as they correlate to iconic locations throughout the United States.
In addition to the film screenings, the three seminars provided tour operators with updates for Brand USA’s travel-trade website and the USA Discovery Program, Brand USA’s online-training platform for international travel agents. The Korean version of the training platform launches early this year.
A premiere screening of “America’s Musical Journey" occurred in Seoul this past September. Consumer audiences in South Korea will also be able to see the film starting in February.
Seminar participants in Gwangju and Busan requested that Brand USA South Korea screen “America’s Musical Journey" at future industry events. Brand USA South Korea indicated it will continue to promote trade-outreach in Gwangju and Busan, as it forges connections between local travel agents and U.S. partners.
The three cities where the seminars were held are among South Korea’s largest in terms of population. Seoul and Busan rank at the top, and Gwangju is no. 5.
USA Specialist Graduation
Brand USA South Korea also hosted an awards ceremony and graduation party, Dec. 13, for the 34 South Korean travel agents who had completed the 2018 USA Specialist Program. The top three agents in the program received awards recognizing their achievement. A total of 60 program participants and industry partners attended the event, held in Seoul at Spaces Gran Seoul.
The year-long program, which includes bi-monthly educational seminars, allows international travel agents to learn about the diverse and expansive array of travel experiences that are available to travelers who visit the United States. Since Brand USA launched the program in 2015, 149 South Korean travel agents have received their certification as USA Specialists.
The graduation event included a networking dinner. It also featured a video presentation produced by the Atlanta (Georgia) and New Orleans (Louisiana) teams on the 2018 USA Specialist FAM tour.
And, in keeping with Brand USA’s focus on entertainment-oriented marketing, the evening included a hands-on workshop that allowed guests to learn how to perform magic tricks.