How is a tourism fair in America? IPW 2022 Orlando

The United States of America is the third largest tourist destination in the world after France and Spain and the first in terms of money spent by tourists. Tourism is a huge industry, with a share of almost 3% in the huge GDP of America, with over 9 million employees, worth somewhere around 1.5 trillion dollars. In the year before the pandemic, there were 80 million tourists. 80 million! It is estimated that in 2022 there will be 55 million and in 2023 the number will reach 70 million.IPW is the largest tourism business fair in the world. All the destinations in the USA are promoted here and it is not a typical commercial exhibition, the kind we are used to at home. There are no last minute offers for tourists but it is only B2B. In just three days of intense pre-scheduled business meetings, more than 1,000 U.S. tourism organizations from each region of the United States (representing all components of the industry) and more than 1,200 international and domestic buyers from more than 70 countries are conducting business negotiations that have generated over $ 4.7 billion.

Organized annually by US Travel – the association that brings together all US states, each time in another state – began as a national event in 1969 in New York, moving across America annually in 2022 stopping in Orlando. IPW is not a fair where holidays are sold. Neither luxury, nor normal, nor super cheap. It is a tourism fair for professionals, where the foundations of future collaborations in the industry are laid. Both between private partners and between organizations and associations. Almost every state in the USA sends its best representatives to IPW and the event is especially important for all those who participate.

Left – CHRIS THOMPSON – Brand USA President CEO Right – ROGER DOW – CEO of US Travel Association

This is the power of the US Travel Association (organizers of the annual IPW), in American business, a national nonprofit organization in the USA. It can impose national policies to follow. Thus, after the year 2020 was a year in which business collapsed, especially due to the stop of the arrivals of international tourists who could not reach the USA, in 2021 they managed to impose the opening of the borders for the Schengen area. And in 2022 the cessation of Covid controls.IPW is a show “staged” by Americans in which they combine business with pleasure. Beyond networking, a huge opportunity to create contacts in the world of overseas tourism, it also gives you the opportunity to understand how this industry works in a 101% capitalist world. Here, business is done with a smile on your face, openness for everyone, wherever they are from, and the basic concept is that of the “win / win”.

To participate in IPW, you must become part of the Romanian delegation to the event. Then you must undergo  a long process of pre-selection from the organizers, and approval from the US Embassy in Romania. You must prove both that you are a professional journalist and prove the legitimacy of the publications you own or carry out your activity for. Journalists from all over the world apply annually and are approved or rejected depending on their application. Last year there were 1000 participants, in the year of Covid in full swing. This year there were almost 5000 participants. And there was still room for more.

The scale at which this event takes place is huge! Unimaginable for many. As a single example of power and importance – the two most important amusement parks in Orlando, the well-known and mega-crowded Disney EPCOT and Universal Studios closed for a few hours for the public and were available exclusively to those who participated in IPW. This has happened only once in the history of amusement parks in Orlando, also during another IPW edition. A press brunch was held in the most exclusive locations in Orlando and the famous American police officers were omnipresent ensuring the security of the place. Almost 100 coaches were made available to everyone. The organizational effort is enormous but the benefits are commensurate.