Images from left to right: @tinaka202, @beauty_of_baltimore, @katiedid_a_hike
2023 Global Travel Exchange
Capital Region USA's annual marketplace connects the region's travel suppliers, overseas buyers, and receptive operators in face-to-face appointments, regional familiarization tours, and engaging networking events.


When: September 18-20, 2023

Cost: $1295 for first attendee; $795 for second attendee

Room block: Click here to book the group rate of $199/night

What's included: Marketplace orientation, appointments and networking events as well as attendance at Global Market Update, CRUSA's annual education event for the regional travel industry. Breakfasts, lunches, breaks, and kick-off dinner on Monday night are also included with registration.

View the latest event schedule here. More details to be announced soon!
Sales & Media Updates
IPW 2023: San Antonio
CRUSA attended IPW 2023 in San Antonio, Texas from May 20-24. Suppliers from around the region joined the CRUSA delegation, meeting with 140+ international buyers and travel trade professionals.
German Media Mission
CRUSA's German Media Mission took place from May 1-5. Representatives from Visit Frederick, Maryland Office of Tourism, and Virginia Tourism Corporation joined the mission which traveled to Vienna, Munich, and Berlin. Mission attendees had eight appointments with travel media, participated in a group dinner wtih 11 journalists, and presented the region during a special media event promoting United's new IAD-BER nonstop flight.
UK Group Media Fam
Five journalists from the UK toured the region during a wellness-themed press trip in May. The group included journalists from Cosmopolitan UK, The Sunday Post, and Women's Health UK.
Leads Available
Leads from Brand USA's UK & Europe Global Marketplace and IITA Summit are now available.
Contact Kimberly Petersen to request your copy.
Air Service Updates
Norse Launch
Dulles recently welcomed Norse Atlantic Airways‘ debut as a new carrier providing nonstop service to London Gatwick aboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Speaking on behalf of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, President and CEO Jack Potter said, “London is Washington's largest European passenger market. Starting today, passengers have a new option to fly a Dreamliner aircraft nonstop from Dulles to London Gatwick, which is the first-ever service between the two airports."
United Berlin Launch
United Airline’s new seasonal daily nonstop flight from IAD-BER launched on May 25. CRUSA’s US and German team participated in several events to celebrate the launch including a pre-launch media event in Berlin and the inaugural ceremony at IAD. Maria Greiner, CRUSA’ German representative, flew the inaugural flight from IAD to BER where a media event was hosted on the visitor terrace of Berlin-Brandenburg Airport prior to the first departure from Berlin. CRUSA also arranged a group media fam with Berlin- based journalists. 
Overseas Visitation
TravelPulse reports on the latest visitation data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). Highlights include:

  • Visitors to the U.S. spent more than $17.3 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities in April - an increase of almost 26 percent over April 2022

  • April was the 25th consecutive month of year-over-year gains

  • Revised data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis suggest that international visitors spent nearly $67.2 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services between January and April 2023

Read the full TravelPulse article here.
CRUSA Overseas Visitation Through April 2023
  • Overseas visits to CRUSA destinations continue to recover. The region has registered positive market share gains in each month of 2023 as a primary destination visit.

  • This highlights that demand for CRUSA destinations as a primary destination to visit in the U.S. is outpacing the demand in 2019.

  • Direct visitor volume to the region is up 78% year-to-date (January – May 2023) compared to the same period in 2022.
The top countries (excluding Canada) for direct visits to CRUSA destinations for the first four months of 2023 include:
1.   United Kingdom
2.   India
3.   Germany
4.   France
5.   Mexico
6.   South Korea
7.   China
8.   Brazil
9.   Spain
10. Colombia
Recovery for CRUSA’s top target countries in 2023 continue to rebound:

  • France direct visits to CRUSA destinations through May 2023 recovered to 81% of 2019 visits (compared to January – May of 2019).

  • Germany direct visits to CRUSA year-to-date recovered to 90% of 2019 visits.

  • United Kingdom recovered to 81% of 2019 visits.
Insights courtesy Travel Market Insight's (TMI) Destination Control Panel
Allied Members