Earlier this month, Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and three state tourism partners co-exhibited at the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2022 in Orlando, Florida. IPW is the leading international travel trade show that connects U.S. travel destinations with travel buyers and media from more than 70 countries. This year, the event welcomed nearly 4,800 attendees.

Explore Georgia, including its international representatives from the United Kingdom and Germany, joined forces with tourism partners across the state, including Discover Atlanta, Visit Savannah, and the Golden Isles Convention & Visitors Bureau, to create the state’s first-ever integrated trade show exhibit at IPW. By co-exhibiting within the Georgia-branded booth, tourism partners were able to lay the groundwork for entering or reentering post-Covid international markets, engage with new and established business contacts critical to marketing internationally, increase visibility of their destination on a competitive trade show floor, and drive more foot traffic than any one destination could have done on its own.

U.S. Travel Association’s Senior Vice President of Business Development and General Manager of IPW, Malcolm Smith, weighed in on Georgia’s booth. “A unified state presence, such as Explore Georgia, gives their partners greater exposure to the international buyers and press at IPW than they could have on their own. The enhanced branding allows Georgia and its partners to stand out as a premier travel destination at IPW.”

Anchored by Explore Georgia, the 30-by-50-foot exhibit booth featured a dedicated space for each of the four organizations involved, along with a shared lounge area. All five spaces were designed to work together to tell a comprehensive story about the entire state. Ultimately, Georgia’s booth and its 25 delegates established a prominent presence on the trade show floor by creating a welcoming space for business meetings and conversations, while showcasing all regions of the state, from its big cities to beautiful beaches to unique state parks.

 During the three-day show, the Georgia team met with more than 310 representatives from the international travel trade and 60 journalists. This provided opportunities for the state’s tourism office and its partners to expand their global networks as well as bring the travel trade and media up-to-date on what’s new in Georgia. Trade and media appointments were held with delegates from markets across the world, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, China, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and more.

 A major media highlight of the event was when two stories featuring Georgia captured top honors in the “Best U.S. Travel Destination Article” category of the U.S. Travel Association’s and Brand USA’s 2022 IPW Travel Writer Awards. The first winner was United Kingdom journalist Aaron Millar for his vivid feature on Georgia's Golden Isles, “Going for Gold,” published in National Geographic Traveller. Larry Bleiberg, a freelance travel writer from the United States, was awarded for his article, “Atlanta's unexpected civil rights museum: Its airport,” published in The Washington Post.

 Overall, IPW was a great success for all of Georgia’s travel industry, as the state’s booth was buzzing with activity throughout the show.

Looking to visit Georgia? Explore Georgia inspires travelers to discover the state’s diverse destinations, from its mountains to beaches, big cities to small towns, and everything in between.