Filmmakers from Brand USA—the national organization that markets the United States as a travel destination to the rest of the world—are documenting some of Arizona’s most road-trip-worthy towns in an effort to attract travelers from Canada, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Brand USA is partnering with the Arizona Office of Tourism on a six-day shoot that highlights tourism treasures across the state. From April 2 to April 7, the Brand USA production crew will visit Ajo, Flagstaff, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson.
The videos resulting from the Arizona shoot will showcase activities and interests that appeal to international travelers to the Southwest, as based on Brand USA’s extensive market research. An Arizona tourism video and accompanying content will be produced for VisitTheUSA.com’s “Trips” section and promoted via Brand USA’s social channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Instagram.
The Arizona videos also will be the basis for a digital-marketing campaign that will target consumers in Canada, China, France, Germany and the U.K.
“International visitors, on average, stay longer and spend more money in Arizona than their domestic counterparts, so they are a vital part of our marketing strategy,” said Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “By partnering with Brand USA, we are able to extend Arizona’s brand reach into international markets in a cost-effective way. This video collaboration is the perfect example of how Brand USA can help us tell Arizona’s story—and vice-versa.”
Rising interest in Arizona from international travelers has contributed to two European airlines, British Airways and Condor, adding new seasonal service to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Air Canada is also expanding the number of flights between Phoenix and two hub cities, Vancouver and Calgary.
According to data from Tourism Economics and the Arizona Office of Tourism, more than 5.5 million international visitors travel to Arizona each year, generating $2.9 billion in direct spending and supporting more than 25,000 jobs.
The federal economy also benefits greatly from international visitation, and specifically, from Brand USA’s research-driven efforts to increase it.
A study recently released by Oxford Economics shows that, during the past three years, Brand USA’s marketing efforts have directly generated more than 3 million incremental international visitors to the U.S. Those visitors were responsible for nearly $21 billion in total economic impact, which has supported, on average, 50,000 incremental jobs a year.
“The enthusiasm for learning about the USA abroad is as strong as it’s ever been,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer, Brand USA. “We have the strategy of talking about the iconic places and experiences that make the USA unique.”
