Discover Dominica Authority’s USA representative, Zapwater Communications, attended the USTOA conference held in Austin, TX in November 2022. The conference consisted of workshops and a marketplace where one-on-one meetings were conducted with key operators. There were 200 active members and 600 associate members in attendance. The team met with key wholesalers and operators to discuss the inclusion of Dominica in their travel portfolio. Responses were positive given all the recent accolades the island has been received lately. Additionally, the direct connectivity from Miami has made the destination more appealing.
Some other key insights shared from recent research that are worth noting are:
- Travel industry will prevail as there is no sign of weakness with US travelers
- $2.4 trillion saved by consumers during pandemic is now sitting at $1.7 trillion in September 2022, which means they still have disposal income
- Pent up demand and prioritization of travel is real
- US outbound travel is accelerating at 3.4 million
- 55% of USTOA active members anticipate a growth of more than 10% in sales volume for 2023
