TBM Staff - Mumbai On April 27, 2022, as a continuation of Brand USA’s initiative to educate and update the travel trade in India about new and niche tourism products in the USA, Brand USA organised their second webinar of the Discover USA – Knowledge Series.
The second webinar in the three-part series focused on U.S. Gateway Cities and self-drive holidays. The webinar highlighted what’s new in Los Angeles, Arizona state, New Orleans and Philadelphia. These cities and beyond also offer some of the most popular routes for self-drive holidays in the USA.
Bhavika Jariwala, Account Director, India – Brand USA; Seema Kadam, Regional Director for Los Angeles Tourism; Jessica Mitchell Remington, Director of Travel Industry Marketing, Arizona Office of Tourism; Maria Manzella, Director of Tourism, New Orleans Company and Hrishikesh Kulkarni, India Representative, The Countryside of Philadelphia, educated the travel trade attendees on diverse facets of these destinations, enabling them to curate itineraries with new and unique places to visit and things to do. The USA is now open for fully vaccinated travellers.
The webinar highlighted the fact that Los Angeles is home to seven regions, full of vibrant neighborhoods, offering a range of activities. Downtown LA has undergone a complete revitalization in the past few years with new restaurants, hotels and museums. The valley has amazing outdoor spaces, and is close to major attractions like Universal Studios and Warner Bros Studio Tour. One of LA’s most culturally rich and diverse region is South LA, including major attractions like Banc of California Stadium and California African American Museum.
The webinar shared that Grand Canyon National Park, in Arizona, is home to Grand Canyon, with its layered bands of red rock revealing millions of years of geological history. A World Heritage Site, the Grand Canyon lies on the Colorado Plateau in North Western Arizona. Also, the iconic US Route 66 in Arizona crosses the northern part of the state, from east to west, through the mountains near Flagstaff, the Little Colorado River and, in its western part, the Black Mountains and the Colorado River, to enter California. Located in beautiful Northern Arizona between Flagstaff and Kingman, Seligman is now internationally known as an iconic Route 66 town, and sits at the beginning of the scenic drive, that is now the longest remaining stretch of Route 66 in the United States.
New Orleans was named the #3 Top Destination for City Lovers in the United States in 2022 by TripAdvisor, Travelers’ Choice – Best of the Best, 2022. The city offers convenient, easy access, along with variety of hotels, attractions and meeting locations and a bustling nightlife at the French Quarter. The city hosts festivals and cultural events throughout the year. The city has seen a host of new branded hotels with a large inventory for leisure guests as well as large conventions. The Vue Orleans, located at the 34th floor of Four Seasons, is an observatory with interactive exhibitions. The Zip Nola, offers 5 zipline and other adventure activities, at a drive of 30 minutes from the downtown area.
The Countryside of Philadelphia is conveniently located on the East Coast. High-speed rail lines connect area towns and provide direct access to Philadelphia. Home to 30 gardens, the Countryside of Philadelphia has ample outdoor space for one to indulge and enjoy the nature. The Longwood Gardens is the largest display garden and a sight to behold. The Arch at Valle Forge National Historic Park is a popular monument that was erected to commemorate the arrival of General George Washington and the Continental Army into Valley Forge. All in all this is a marvellous destination to add on for visitors to Philadelphia and the East Coast of USA.
