Lots of new ways to Discover America

What do chicken wings, Frank Lloyd Wright and goat yoga (yes really) have in common?

They’re all among the tourism draws being promoted across the U.S. in 2018, as showcased at this week’s Discover America Media Day.

With Canadian travel to the U.S. increasing five per cent year-over-year during the first six months of 2017, PAX caught up with several of the participating destination representatives to learn more about what’s new and returning for the coming year:

Brand USA

Patrice Bell, director of travel trade relationship for Brand USA, told PAX that travel agents can keep an eye out for an upcoming global FAM in partnership with Air Canada, in the works for next year. The FAM is expected to welcome approximately 60 agents (20 each from North America, Europe and Asia), spanning multiple states. And following the success of last year’s America Wild, an IMAX film showcasing the U.S. National Parks system and produced in association with Brand USA, Bell told PAX that the organization will return to the silver screen in February 2018 with the release of America’s Musical Journey. Narrated by singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc, the film explores the country’s history through the lens of music, visiting important music cities and regions including Chicago, New Orleans, Nashville and New York.

Mesa

Mesa has several trendy offerings in store for travellers, including glamping at Schnepf Farms and the latest fitness craze known as goat yoga, bringing the yoga studio to the farm where the animals interact with outdoor classes. The destination also recently welcomed Barnone At Agritopia, dubbed ‘Arizona’s Craftsman Collective,’ housing farm-to-table cuisine, a microbrewery and providing a showcase for ‘all things made in America.’ And for foodies, Arizona's Fresh Foodie Trail is a new tour offering launching as a bookable experience for agents to sell with tour operator Detours of Arizona. For Western Canada, seasonal WestJet service launches next month from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport to Calgary and Edmonton.

San Antonio

San Antonio will mark its 300th anniversary in 2018, with a week of tricentennial festivities from May 1 – 6 celebrating local history and culture throughout the city. The celebrations will follow just weeks after San Antonio’s annual Fiesta Week, taking place April 19 – 29 next year. Development of San Antonio’s Pearl District is also ongoing with the opening of the boutique Hotel Emma, the Jazz TX music venue; in 2019, the neighbourhood will welcome the new home of the Linda Pace Foundation, a 14,000 square-foot building designed by British architect David Adjaye where the foundation’s collection of contemporary art will be housed.

Patrice Bell, director of travel trade relationship for Brand USA

Buffalo Niagara

While mostly known by Canadians for shopping and chicken wings, Buffalo is drawing visitors by embracing its history and architecture. The ‘Unexpected Buffalo’ campaign highlights a number of visitor attractions, from the city’s five Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, to rock-climbing and kayaking amongst grain silos and the incoming Buffalo Architecture Centre in an historic building dating from the 1870s, which also houses the 88-room Hotel Henry. And for chicken wing lovers, an official Buffalo Wing Trail shows visitors the best places to find the iconic food.

Colorado

While the 2018 Winter Olympics will be hosted in Pyeongchang, Korea this February, Colorado is getting into the spirit of the games with a number of Olympic-themed events this winter, beginning with ski and snowboard Olympic qualifiers at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge (Dec. 14-17, 2017) and culminating with a 2018 Olympic Send-Off Celebration at Steamboat Ski Resort on Jan. 27. Several of Colorado’s top ski resorts have launched brand new mountain coaster courses, including Copper Mountain, Purgatory Resort, Snowmass and Steamboat. Later in the spring, Denver will also host the 2018 IPW conference from May 19-23, welcoming delegates from around the world to the annual U.S. travel showcase.

New Hampshire

Drawing Canadian travellers from the Montreal and Toronto regions, New Hampshire will celebrate 150 years of its Mount Washington Cog Railway in 2019, which takes visitors on a three hour trip through the White Mountains en route to its namesake peak. Back at the foot of the mountain range, the incoming Glen House Hotel will offer guests a 68-room boutique hotel experience when the property opens in May.

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach’s 60 More Days of Summer campaign is once again enticing Canadians to the destination this fall, with exclusive offers and savings; this year, the campaign will focus on wellness, with complimentary beach yoga, bicycle rides and meditation zones among the seasonal offerings. The destination also saw the recent opening of the new Shark Wake Park (operated by Greg Norman Jr), along with the addition of a warehouse district to Broadway at the Beach and the opening of Heidi’s Corner, the latest eatery by renowned local restauranteur Heidi Vukov. For the holiday season, Brookgreen Gardens will see the return of its Nights of A Thousand Candles display, while the Carolina Opry and Legends in Concert will feature Christmas-themed performances.