International Showcase History
Celebrating 9 years of Travel South International Showcase
Travel South USA is America’s oldest and largest regional travel promotion organization, formed in 1965 by resolution presented at the Southern Governor’s Conference. The long-standing regional collaboration of the state tourism offices of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia provides a foundation to positively position tourism as a vital and dynamic element in the region’s economic development. Tourism ranks throughout the region as one of the top three industries, behind manufacturing and agriculture, and is responsible for $135.7 billion in spending by visitors, generating 1.33 million direct jobs, $32.3 billion in worker paychecks, and more than $19 billion in state and local taxes.
In 1965, eleven (11) southern states formed a coalition for the purpose of promoting travel to the southern USA. Today, the state tourism offices of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia comprise the organization known as Travel South USA; the state travel directors, one from each of the member states, make up the Board of Directors.International Showcase
Travel South USA produces a world-class regional international marketing program called Travel South International Showcase & Super FAMs. This program connects approximately 100 pre-qualified and vetted international buyers from over 20 countries for a four-day meeting and familiarization tours in the region. The primary objective of the show is to grow international visitation and market share from key origin markets, in line with the U.S Travel & Tourism Executive Order to have 100 million visitors in the USA by 2021.
This programming affords destinations, hotels and restaurants in the south, the opportunity to meet with key decision makers, while International Tour Operators experience our authentic destinations via coordinated multi-state FAM trips. When International Buyers are on our soil, they fall in love with the region and return to their tour companies enthused to promote and sell this region of the USA. Once a strong relationship with key international tour operators is cultivated, these operators become a de-facto sales force and serve as Southern Ambassadors. Travel South USA invests in year-round marketing, sales, advertising and research support to accurately measure the impact and market share of the southern region.
Louisville, KY - November 28 - December 1, 2021