U.S. Travel Association's IPW Event Sets Attendance Records

LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Travel Association announced record-setting attendance at the IPW (International Pow Wow) marketplace taking place here this week, with more than 6,000 delegates from the U.S. and 70 other countries, 1,300 exhibitor booths, 1,300 international and domestic buyers and nearly 500 media. The event is expected to generate over $3.5 billion in future travel to the U.S., and tens of millions in economic impact for Las Vegas as the host city.

"After a dip during the recession, America's travel industry is back with a bang," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.  "IPW has experienced double-digit growth over the last three years, and literally billions of dollars in deals are being signed this week with tour operators that will bring more international visitors here."

Every major American city and state tourism office attends IPW, as well as attractions, destinations, museums and amusement parks across the U.S.  These groups market themselves to the world's top international tour operators that sell leisure travel to the U.S. IPW pre-schedules meetings through a sophisticated online matching system to maximize productivity; over 90,000 meetings were scheduled during the three-day event.   

"At IPW, buyers and sellers are able to conduct business that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips," said Dow.  "A recent Oxford Economics report we commissioned as part of our Travel Effect campaign notes that in-person meetings double the likelihood of closing a deal, and U.S. companies experience nearly $10 in revenues for every dollar invested in business travel."

The report also noted that U.S. businesses are investing record levels on domestic business travel, spending an estimated $225 million in 2012 and surpassing a historic peak set in 2007. Business travel expenditures generated 1.9 million jobs, $59 billion in personal income and $35 billion in tax revenues last year.

About the U.S. Travel Association
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $2.0 trillion in economic output and supports 14.6 million jobs. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Travel Effect is a campaign of the U.S. Travel Association. Visit USTravel.org or TravelEffect.com.

SOURCE U.S. Travel Association