Missouri Global Marketing

While visitation remains down year-to-date, Texas and Florida continue to outperform, and forward-looking demand indicators are strengthening.

Trade training, high-touch industry events, and media outreach delivered strong engagement, supported by solid newsletter performance.

Importantly, Australia now ranks the U.S. as its top long-haul destination wish-list for 2026, driven by major sporting events and deferred travel. Strategic groundwork is firmly in place to convert intent into bookings.

Visibility increased through earned media, boosted social campaigns, and targeted newsletters, while on-the-ground activity at the Style in Travel fair delivered meaningful consumer interaction.

Trade interest remains solid, with operators confirming continued strength of U.S. travel and openness to collaborative marketing. Forward-looking signals point to stable demand into 2026, driven by early booking behavior, sustained travel prioritization despite inflation, and growing interest in authentic, story-led Southern experiences across food, music, culture, and outdoors.

High-impact in-person and online trainings—delivered in collaboration with Brand USA—expanded reach beyond São Paulo into key interior markets, while trade and media engagement continued at scale.

Earned media performance remained robust, generating more than 12 million impressions year-to-date, supported by high-performing newsletters themed around Festivals in 2026.

Market insights point to sustained Brazilian interest in U.S. travel, growing bleisure demand, and increasing use of technology—positioning the Southern states well for continued growth in 2026.

Media and trade engagement continued steadily, supported by strong newsletter performance and targeted pitching tied to festivals, culture, and music.

Despite economic and air-service disruptions, sports, entertainment, and culinary travel to Southern destinations continue to resonate.

With improved air connectivity to key Southern gateways and early planning underway for 2026, strategic trade education and value-focused storytelling remain essential to driving recovery and future growth.

While overall U.S. bookings from France softened amid strong competition from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Travel South USA maintained high visibility through trade missions, media outreach, and content-led storytelling.

Key highlights included strong participation at International Showcase in Kansas City, expanded airline and tour-operator engagement, and robust performance from festival-themed newsletters.

Culinary travel—reinforced by the American South Michelin Guide announcement—continues to resonate, positioning Southern destinations well as French travelers plan future long-haul trips tied to major global events.

Strong economic growth, expanding air connectivity, and a young, affluent traveler base are driving demand.

November activity focused on trade education, targeted PR, and early-stage digital growth, supported by positive media coverage and strong engagement with travel advisors. The Southern states are well positioned to capture increased visitation, longer stays, and higher spend into 2026.

November delivered robust tour-operator partnerships, successful co-marketing programs, and high participation in webinars and trainings.

Earned media performance was particularly strong, driven by Michelin Guide coverage, Route 66 centennial storytelling, and pop-culture themes such as Stranger Things.

With long-haul demand rebounding and 2026 planning accelerating, Southern destinations are well positioned to capture high-spend Italian travelers.

Participation in Brand USA events across Oslo, Helsinki, and Stockholm delivered training for 245 travel professionals, reinforcing the South’s visibility in a high-value, experience-driven market.

Trade discussions advanced with key Nordic operators, while earned media coverage generated more than 9 million impressions year-to-date.

With Nordic travelers seeking longer, multi-stop itineraries and off-the-beaten-path destinations, the Southern states are well positioned to capture future demand through targeted trade partnerships, co-op campaigns, and experiential storytelling heading into 2026.