12 NEWS ADVERTORIAL Brand USA Pavi A tour of just a few of the top U Sophie Von Moy German Public Relations – Germany, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Jasmine Tripp Travel Trade Manager at Visit California Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Sophie Von Moy, the German Public Relations spokesperson for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, has spent the week at ITBBerlin trying to reset the clichéd idea that Las Vegas is a purely a gambling destination. “You can go to the arts district, art is getting a lot more popular; you also have a lot of great museums in Las Vegas. Then you have the biggest observation wheel, the high roller, which is bigger that the London Eye and has a great view over Las Vegas.” The city is also a great base to explore the natural wonders in the area. “You can take a helicopter and explore the Grand Canyon, or take a jeep through the desert, there’s so much to do and to see.” And she’s been happy with the feedback: “We’ve had a really good response because people get to know Las Vegas from a different point of view. It’s not what you see in the movies.” For that reason, its been another successful ITBBerlin show. “We’ve made a lot of connections, we had a lot of interesting appointments; it’s been really good.” Though the focus has been Germany, Austria and Switzerland, there’s been strong interest from across Europe, Brazil and all over the world. WE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING APPOINTMENTS. Visit California It was a hectic week at the Visit California booth, which has been abuzz with communication with trade and trade media from across the world. “It was a successful show, it’s been quite busy and a good week,” Jasmine Tripp, Travel Trade Manager at Visit California, told ITBBerlinNews as the gereral public packed into the booth on the final day of the event. Beyond the Germanlanguage trade, there were plenty of appointments with international media and travel representatives, including ITB Asia and the World Travel Market (WTM). With California being such a diverse state, the marketing was focused via this year’s Dream Big campaign. “We focus on five different experiences, which are outdoor adventure, culinary, culture, entertainment and family fun. We have tried to find some new and fresh ways to spread the word.” IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL SHOW, IT’S BEEN QUITE BUSY AND A GOOD WEEK. ITB BERLIN NEWS • Tuesday 17 th March 2015 www.itb-berlin-news.com
NEWS 13 ADVERTORIAL lion Highlights S exhibitors at ITBBerlin 2015 Kelly K. Bedoni & Kristy R. Bedoni Tour Directors with Monument Valley Tours Monument Valley Tours T. Keith Mangum Texas Tourism, Managing Director Europe Texas Tourism “It’s been going really great here at the ITBBerlin show, we have been focusing on communicating with people about our unique culture,” said Kelly K. Bedoni, Tour Director of Monument Valley Tours, a Navajo-owned company in Arizona that offers first-hand experience of indigenous culture and customs, and takes visitors to places where few others have ventured. Monument Valley Tours conducts 4x4 tours for individuals to groups up until groups of 50, and at ITBBerlin – which the company has attended since 1992 – diverse interest has been shown from around the world. “We’ve been getting people from England, Spain, India, Bolivia, and some other new regions like the Middle East and across Asia,” Bedoni confirmed. Amid the diverse Native American offerings at ITBBerlin 2015, Monument Valley Tours try to differentiate their service by focusing on “community involvement”, said Bedoni. “On the tours, we stop at some of the Navajo hogans, which are traditional houses that native people still live in.” AMID THE DIVERSE NATIVE AMERICAN OFFERINGS AT ITB BERLIN 2015, MONUMENT VALLEY TOURS TRY TO DIFFERENTIATE THEIR SERVICE BY FOCUSING ON “COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT” One of America’s biggest states with diverse travel offerings, ITBBerlin’s Texas booth was marked, not only be signature cowboy boots and hats, but a kaleidoscope of options for the international trade. “People aren’t aware that we have 1000 kilometres of coastline and cruise ships, and amusement parks and five big cities, and lots of small ones” said T. Keith Mangum, Texas Tourism, Managing Director Europe. Texas Tourism is also highlighting its tax-free shopping for international visitors. “It’s huge. You save your receipts, the malls or the airports have them. You bring your receipts when you’re leaving, show your boarding pass, and they give you cash on the spot, you get a tax refund.” Magnum spent a week with trade representatives from across the globe. “It’s been very international, I’ve had some Brazilian friends come by, and people from Switzerland and Austria, The Netherlands, Spain, a little bit of everything. And of course the UK, which is our largest overseas market, and Germany, which is our second largest.” IT’S BEEN VERY INTERNATIONAL, I’VE HAD SOME BRAZILIAN FRIENDS COME BY, AND PEOPLE FROM SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA, THE NETHERLANDS, SPAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. ITB BERLIN NEWS • Tuesday 17 th March 2015
