The U.S. remains one of the top tourist destinations in the world, but it’s getting some steep competition from other countries. The European Union spends a collective $800 million per year promoting foreign tourism; Mexico spends $150 million; Australia, $113 million. Up until this point, the United States has spent zero dollars on these efforts. In fact, the U.S. was, until recently, the only industrialized country without a national campaign to attract foreign tourists.
With Brand USA, a new private-public collaboration, all that is changing. The campaign went public last week with a strategy to market the country as the “United States of Awesome Possibilities.” It officially rolls out in March.
Chris Perkins, Brand USA's chief marketing officer, says the campaign will focus on improving America's image worldwide. And by boosting the underdeveloped travel sector, Brand USA hopes to create some much-needed jobs. We talk to Chris about the campaign's vision.