TBM Staff - Hyderabad 
Brand USA in association with TravelBiz Monitor conducted Part Three of the Chalo USA webinar series on June 15, 2021. The theme of the webinar was City Escapes with a focus on shopping, local attractions and family activities. The webinar shared insights into latest tourism offerings and destination reopenings in various parts of the USA, including Atlanta, Houston, San Diego, and Country of Philadelphia. The web objective of the online event was to help the trade fraternity in curating new itineraries for their clients. The destinations covered were:
Atlanta
Atlanta, home to the world’s busiest airport and the birthplace of Coca-Cola. From world-class restaurants and a myriad of cultural attractions to a hip nightlife and sporting events galore, the city is cosmopolitan in every sense of the word. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is not just a mere airport rather it’s a destination. The airport offers services to 150 non-stop domestic destinations and 78 international destinations. The concession programme features 300 dining and retail options, to meet passengers shopping, dining and service needs.
World of Coca-Cola
By visiting the place one can experience the fascinating story of the world’s most famous beverage brand. Not only that, but it also offers a visitor to taste 100 different types of beverages at beverage lounge, that too with an admission ticket only.
Georgia Aquarium
This is the USA’s largest and most magical aquarium. The aquarium offers shows with interactions, animal encounters, and behind the scene tours. Recently, it opened a new exhibition called Shark…
Besides the above, on the Atlanta city front, the webinar also threw light on the Illuminarium Experience, Stone Mountain Park, The Atlanta Botanical Garden, Ponce City Market etc.
Houston
Houston has become a global city, with strengths in culture, medicine, and research. The city is known as the home of the largest medical centre in the world. Besides this, it is one of the energy capitals of the world, making the city an important destination, from an international point of view. The city is growing fast pace and probably will overtake Chicago within five years, in terms of population. One of its attractions is the Space Centre Houston, which is just 45 minutes away from downtown Houston. The Space Centre offers a great opportunity for families to explore mission control and other team building activities. It also offers visitors an opportunity to interact with potential astronauts on the 9th floor of the building. Another interesting facet of the city is green, and 50,000 acres of its land is green space. No wonder, Houston has 165 golf courses. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is another important event that takes place in the first three weeks of March every year. The city also ranks among the top 10 culinary and gastronomy destination in the US.
San Diego
The region is well known for being California’s Beach-City with 70 miles of coastline just minutes away from the thriving, urban downtown of California’s 2nd largest city. The important places to visit here are San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and Sea World San Diego. The region has over 150 breweries & microbreweries located in San Diego county. Every year in November San Diego celebrates its Beer Week. With nearly 100 distinct neighbourhoods, a thriving craft beer scene and distinct regional cuisine (Cali-Baja), visitors to San Diego can choose between relaxing on the beach or enjoying the nightlife of the Gaslamp Quarter – or do both! In October, San Diego Tourism will be offering free tickets to kids to visit over 100 attractions and museums.
The Countryside of Philadelphia
Located roughly 40 minutes from the centre city of Philadelphia, it is a great driving destination. There is also a train line which connects the Countryside of Philadelphia to Centre City. As far as, accommodation is concerned, the region has 120 hotels ranging from 4 stars to budget categories. Besides this, unique lodges like bed & breakfast lodging, country inns options etc. are also available. The Countryside of Philadelphia is also popularly called America’s Garden Capital and has 30 gardens in the destination. For adventure lovers, the region offers a plethora of options to choose from. Another important feature is tax-free shopping (Clothes and Shoes) and to avail of the tax-free shopping, visitors do not have to show a their passports or fill any form.
At the webinar Brand USA India also invited attendees to participate in The Great American Collage Contest, leading up to the All-American Party virtual event celebrating America’s Independence Day. The competition runs from 16-30 June.
