NEW WEBSITE TO PROMOTE TRAVEL TO THE US
101holidays.co.uk the UK’s leading travel inspiration website, is to launch its first single-destination site focussed exclusively on the USA. The new site, 101 USA Holidays 101usaholidays, will launch in October 2012, edited by husband-and-wife team Mike Gerrard and Donna Dailey, both award-winning travel writers specialising in America.
The announcement comes shortly after official figures revealed that visitor numbers to the USA from the UK are up 10% year on year (according to a report by the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries). The Federal Government is also investing heavily in inbound tourism with the recent launch of Brand USA and discoveramerica.com.
Catherine Leech, co-founder and director of 101 Holidays, said: “The time is right – we Brits have something of a love affair with the USA, the exchange rate means the destination offers particularly good value right now, and the 50 states offer an astonishingly diverse choice of holiday experiences year-round. “This will be the first independent US travel inspiration site aimed at the UK market – it will be an invaluable resource of great ideas and inspiration for anyone considering a trip to the US.”
101 Holidays launched in 2009 to provide expert recommendations from travel writers. Co-founders Mark Hodson and David Wickers – both award-winning travel journalists for The Sunday Times – edit the main site, with specialist editors brought in to curate the content on satellite sites. The websites now attract more than 3 million unique visitors per annum.
The new site will feature UK tour operators, accommodation providers, tourism organisations and attractions in the US, each personally selected by Mike and Donna. Companies join the site by invitation only and pay an annual fee. The site is non-transactional – visitors are directed to the recommended companies via links.
About 101 Holidays: 101holidays.co.uk was launched in January 2009 to provide a unique selection of great travel experiences, recommended by a trusted source – each of the holidays is individually chosen by two of Britain’s leading travel writers (and 101 co-founders), David Wickers and Mark Hodson. The company has since launched three successful niche market sites – 101 Honeymoons, 101 Short Breaks and 101 Family Holidays. Each niche site is edited by the leading specialist travel writers in the field. 101 Holidays attracts more than 3 million unique visitors per annum with a 96%+ renewal rate amongst the companies it recommends.
