Quality not quantity?

Graham McKenzie reflects on this month’s IPW in Denver and worries that, perhaps, US tourism is becoming too much of a numbers game.

"Once again, the US Travel Association and the host have run a splendid IPW. Last week in Denver the locals did almost anything you could think of to make the world’s travel industry welcome, fed, watered and entertained as the delegates ran their eyes and fingers over what America has to offer the visitor.

What was a three-day show has now been extended to a five or six-day extravaganza of tours, trips, parties and shows. It was a Herculean effort by the Denver staff as they were ubiquitous in their efforts to ensure success. I have said it before, but it is worth repeating that IPW stands head and shoulders above other travel conventions in the way the business is organised. Short well-planned appointments throughout the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are supplemented by a variety of off-site functions where the extra return on investment is likely to come from unscheduled encounters.

Denver was an ideal location for IPW, with the vast majority of the venues within walking distance of each other, including the all-important convention centre. The whole affair was topped off by a closing party at the famous Red Rocks amphitheatre where Colorado’s very own One Republic performed for the IPW delegates. Splendid stuff!

The fun and frolics could not, however, hide a number of worrying issues for the US travel industry. Falling visitor numbers puts the destination in stark contrast with many of its leading competitors. From 2015 to 2017, the US share of the global travel market slipped from 13.6% to 11.9%.

Despite the efforts of Brand USA, the national tourism marketing body which, by contrast, claims its efforts have bought in an additional 5.4 million tourists, and the US Travel Association, not everybody is perceiving a huge welcome from the US. A strong dollar and a new administration have seemingly combined to depress numbers. Is this the entire explanation though? As I sat through presentation after presentation in the marathon press conference sessions I couldn’t help but get the impression that, indeed, all that mattered were the numbers. As Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association, quite succinctly put it after being asked about the perceived negative impact of Air BnB on local property prices and their lack of engagement in the tourism process: "We are interested in anything that increases visitor numbers to the USA".

What happened to low volume high value tourism? Quality over quantity? With the spectre of overtourism hanging over the industry as a whole, it is not just the jammed-up cruise ports of Europe that think ‘all tourists are bastards!’. Many city areas of the states, island economies and coastal resorts have experienced the negative side that too many visitors can have and when you feel like that it’s difficult to offer the hand of friendship. Needless to say this is but a small part of the US tourism economy but I feel it is a debate we will have, perhaps with more gusto, next year as Anaheim takes the baton. Roll on #IPW19."