Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe how quickly 2024 has come and gone. Between new additions to our connected booking systems, a successful launch of the National Travel Trade Portal, and our team members on the ground at trade shows and road shows across the country, Q4 was full of highlights. Read on to learn more about what the Tourism Exchange USA team has been working on, where we’re headed, and how it all contributes to our mission of Making the USA Bookable.
Here’s What’s New This Quarter
- Bandwango and More TXUSA Connectivity Updates
- The National Travel Trade Portal Is Growing!
- Supplier Success Team: On the Road Again
- New Destination Participants Coming Onboard
- TXUSA in the Media
- The Globe-Trotting TXUSA Team
New Connected Booking Systems Coming Online
Expanding connectivity on TXUSA helps suppliers of all kinds to more easily reach new distribution opportunities, and we’ve made a lot of progress recently. Bandwango is one of our newest connections, which helps DMOs connect their custom-built, multi-attraction passes to unique distribution options like the National Travel Trade Portal. Now DMOs can connect unique experiences from their market with tour operators and other trade buyers!
Peek, a booking engine specializing in tours and experiences, is another new connection to the Exchange. We’ve already started testing new tour offerings in cities from Chicago to New Orleans and beyond. We’re also in the final stages of testing a new connection with Galaxy-Gateway to further grow our experience offerings. We’ll have some additional announcements coming soon that will include new accommodations, as well as more activities and attractions. 2025 will be another busy year for connectivity.
National Travel Trade Portal Update
One of our biggest milestones of Q4 2024 was the launch of the National Travel Trade Portal (NTTP), a new B2B marketplace designed to conveniently connect bookable product from US travel businesses with buyers around the world. After just a few months, the NTTP already has buyers from 10 countries browsing hundreds of unique experiences and accommodations products from more than a dozen states.
We’re excited to continue developing the Portal and expanding access for communities and businesses around the world. There are some exciting projects planned for 2025, including additional improvements to UI and content, as well as continued growth in available products and connected buyers.
Supplier Outreach
The Supplier Success team stayed busy in the last few months of 2024, as they hosted eight regional supplier webinars and increased the number of active suppliers on the Exchange by 60%. They also added unique tourism experiences to the National Travel Trade portal, including a premium glamping experience in Sonoma County, a winery in San Luis Obispo, guided tours in NYC, an adventure park in Hawaii, and more!
We’ve also been engaging the industry directly with a successful roadshow in Colorado in December, where team members Kelly Blazosky and Henry Winkle led supplier workshops in partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office at events in Durango, Ouray, Pagosa Springs and Alamosa. This collaborative effort offered attendees valuable insights into the travel trade industry, a deeper understanding of the travel trade market, and tips for how to Get Connected to the Exchange.
Interested in bringing a roadshow to your destination? Contact us at [email protected] to get the conversation started.
New Destination Participants Coming Onboard
DMO partnerships continue to thrive into the new year. Onboarding for the state of Utah, the newest state to join the Exchange, is currently underway, which adds another fantastic opportunity to grow connectivity in the Mountain West.
We have a handful of local DMO Engagement Programs that started in December in California, for the Yosemite area, including Visit Tuolumne County, Visit Yosemite Madera County & Yosemite Mariposa County. These local engagement efforts include auditing industry presence online to identify booking gaps, as well as supplier education webinars, and media/PR support to build more success stories.
TXUSA in the Media: TravelMole + Canadian Travel Press
Following Travel South USA’s 2024 International Showcase in December, Tourism Exchange USA was featured in two publications: TravelMole and Canadian Travel Press.
TXUSA President Nate Huff was interviewed by TravelMole Media Group to discuss how the platform bridges the gap between local businesses and global travel distributors. By spotlighting unique accommodations and activities—especially during shoulder seasons—Tourism Exchange can help destinations grow visitation. With a vision to connect thousands of small businesses to international markets, we’re diversifying and expanding access to the U.S. tourism landscape, offering travelers more authentic and varied experiences from more communities.
The December issue of Canadian Travel Press featured discussion from Travel South USA’s President and CEO, Liz Bittner, along with Nate Huff, to share the importance of “thinking globally and acting locally” as TXUSA continues to drive international growth and visibility for more of the U.S’s diverse tourism suppliers.
The Exchange in Action
The Tourism Exchange USA team has been criss-crossing the country (and beyond) to meet with partners, build new connections and support our mission to make the USA bookable.
Where We’ve Been
- Brand USA Travel Week: Nate Huff and Andrea Wood participated heavily in Brand USA Travel Week in October, meeting with more than 20 European tour operators, a number of whom have already registered for the National Travel Trade Portal. In addition to operator appointments, TXUSA hosted its inaugural Partner Advisory Group meeting at the show, with multiple states as well as Brand USA leadership in attendance. And finally, Nate participated in a robust panel discussion on product development with Liz Bittner and Lena Ross, COO of receptive tour company America4You.
- VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit: Patrick Rodgers, TXUSA’s Director of Product, joined an all-star panel at the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s VA1 Governor’s Tourism Summit in Hot Springs, VA to share how the Exchange facilitates connections that can help solve “last-mile” booking connectivity that enhances a destination’s international sales efforts.
- Travel South International Showcase: TXUSA team members Andrea Wood, Lindsey Graham, Tom Boland and Nate Huff had an incredibly productive several days at Travel South USA’s International Showcase in Atlanta, GA in December. They held more than 50 meetings, each brimming with potential opportunities to help elevate travel experiences across the South. They also had the privilege of meeting with media during an exclusive press briefing hosted by Travel South, spotlighting the Exchange and our mission to make travel more bookable.
Couldn’t catch us at those events? No problem! Come say hi at our upcoming events:
Where We’ll Be
- January 19-24: Brand USA India Sales & Media Mission
- March 2-5: Visit California Outlook Forum & Board Meeting
- March 31-April 3: Travel South USA Global Summit
- April 23-25: New York State Tourism Conference
Get Social
Be sure to connect with TXUSA on social media! You can find us at the handles below:
