Discover New England News

Overseas Travel Update

Overseas arrivals to the United States and New England continue to climb steadily with Boston seeing a 7.1% YOY growth, placing its rate of growth ahead of the USA as a whole. China and Japan are making solid comebacks and are now appearing among top arrivals to our region once again; though they still have a considerable way to go before achieving pre-pandemic levels.

Global travel price inflation is falling slightly with much help from increased airline competition. Lift from International markets to BOS is doing well with new flights either just launched or will be launching this spring including: JetBlue from Dublin and Paris, Lufthansa from Vienna, Etihad from Abu Dhabi, Aeromexico from Mexico City, Virgin adding another London, and Azores from Porto and Funchal starting in June. Boston’s European flights are a third over pre-pandemic levels.

There has been some setbacks or areas of concern too. New England’s hotel and restaurant food service jobs are down about 5% from 2019 compared to the US which is up nearly 1%; however, wages are up 20%. Also in the news, FTI Touristik’s recent bankruptcy filing on June 3 affecting 65,000 clients has caused quite the ripple effect in Germany where several other tour operators are stepping in to serve these customers caught in the mix.

Discover New England had a very busy spring that included hosting a successful Annual Summit & International Marketplace, running 12 of the 14 different scheduled campaigns, hosting two webinars, welcoming four top level FAMs (not including Summit FAMs), participated in three travel shows and launching 14 new 14-day suggested itineraries.

Looking ahead, Discover New England is planning an open Q&A virtual session as the next step for the International Inbound Travel Association Steps to Success program and traveling to the UK and Ireland for a Sales Mission as their final activities in the fiscal year before launching the FY25 program of work.

See upcoming deadlines and announcements below in this quarter’s Industry Update Newsletter.

Upcoming Education

Learn About the Benefits of 3rd Party Sustainability Certification

Presented by: Rebecca Bartlett-Jones, Director of Business Development & Marketing – Green Key Global

July 17, 2024 9:00 AM

Launched in the United States on April 1st by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to recognize a wide range of hotels and lodging facilities for their commitment to improving environmental and fiscal performance. This is the industry’s sustainable certification program of choice. Its certification criteria are aligned with all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative, which provides certifications to hotels around the world, puts hotels through an assessment and audit to measure their performance in areas such as energy and water conservation, land use, hazardous and solid waste management, air quality, and more.

Learn how your property or attraction can become Green Key certified, which in turn, could give you a step up in attracting international visitors.

Leveraging AI for Tourism Businesses – Navigating the New EU AI Act

Presented by: Elizabeth Sutherland, Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications

August 8, 2024 9:00 AM

Join us for an engaging and informative webinar designed for tourism-based businesses looking to harness the power of AI while staying compliant with the latest regulations. Led by Elizabeth Sutherland, an industry pro in marketing and brand strategy and AI applications, this session will provide valuable insights into:

• Understanding AI Basics: A straightforward introduction to artificial intelligence and its relevance in the tourism industry.
• AI Tools for Tourism: Explore a variety of AI tools that can enhance productivity, improve customer engagement, and streamline operations.
• Compliance with the EU AI Act: Gain a clear understanding of the new EU AI Act, including key provisions and compliance requirements.
• Practical Applications: Learn how to implement AI solutions in your business while adhering to regulatory standards.
• Q&A Session: Get your questions answered and receive personalized advice on integrating AI into your operations.

Whether you’re a business owner, marketing professional, or industry leader, this webinar will equip you with actionable strategies to leverage AI effectively and compliantly. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your business is ready for the future of tourism.

NEW 14-Day Suggested Itineraries

The top request that Discover New England hears from tour operators and media over and over again is, “Do you have suggested itineraries?” 

Discover New England commissioned Yankee Publishing to author 12 suggested itineraries outlined by the six states and challenged them to fit the itineraries to two pages each. Additionally, Discover New England wrote two itineraries in-house while leaning on historic societies and sports experts, the Revolutionary History and Sports itineraries.

These itineraries serve as a sampling of activities by interest and is not a full catalog of experiences. Their purpose is to intrigue enough so that media and tour operators are willing to take their projects further.

Click here to view these itineraries and more.

Post Show Reports & Webinars

In case you missed it, Discover New England has shared the following post-show reports and webinar recordings from this quarter:

• 26th Annual Discover New England Summit & International Marketplace, April 9 – 11, 2024 at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Click here for the report.
• IPW 2024, May 4 – 8, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Click here for the report.
• Webinar Recording: Get Mexico Ready!
• Webinar Recording: Travel Trends for Adventure Travel