
Brand USA Talks Travel
This podcast elevates the conversation concerning international travel to the United States by speaking with leaders in the travel industry. Subscribe to hear key answers to timely questions every week. Brand USA is the nation’s destination marketing organization. We work closely with more than 900 partner organizations to invite the world to explore the exceptional, diverse, and virtually limitless travel experiences and destinations available in the United States of America.
Latest episodes

Jan 24, 2024 • 16min
Immigration, Visas & Tourism with Allen Orr
Allen Orr, Founder of Orr Immigration Law and Brand USA Board Member, suggests a positive path to dealing with the U.S. Visa backlog. We also discuss Allen’s advocacy work with underrepresented communities, how homelessness affects tourism, and the visas required for foreign nationals to work in the U.S. travel industry.

Jan 17, 2024 • 15min
Hotels in 2024 with Chip Rogers
The American Hotel and Lodging Association has a lot planned this year; you'll want to know about it so you can schedule your calendar. We also hear about the state of hotel labor, as well as new trends in this vertical that effect all of us who work in tourism. Chip Rogers is CEO of AHLA.

Jan 10, 2024 • 19min
Fostering Authentic DEI in the Travel Industry with Martinique Lewis
Martinique expresses why creating authentic, diverse content is vital to all destinations. We also discuss allocating specific budget to DEI work, and her experience appearing in "Black Travel Across America" on Disney+. Martinique Lewis is President of the Black Travel Alliance, Creator of the ABC Travel Greenbook, and a Travel Consultant.

Dec 13, 2023 • 16min
The Economic Impact of Outdoor Recreation in the USA
Meet Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. Learn about their mission, effect on legislation, and how they work with destinations.

Dec 6, 2023 • 34min
What Are DMOs Outside the USA Doing Now & Planning for the Future?
Nick Hall, Founder of the Digital Tourism Think Tank, works with hundreds of destinations globally. Mark meets with Nick at their offices in Canterbury, England to get his perspective on content creation, hear about the new State of Destination Marketing 2024 study, and upcoming DTTT events in Europe.

Nov 29, 2023 • 15min
The Role of the USA in International Accessibility Travel with Alvaro Silberstein
How does the US rank when compared to other countries for accessibility? Mark discusses with Alvaro Silberstein, Co-Founder of Wheel The World. Alvaro shares how his visit to Yellowstone National Park began a chain of events that led him to become the founder of a travel accessibility company. We discuss common misconceptions about accessible travel, as well as opportunities for DMOs who are just getting started in welcoming travelers with disabilities.

Nov 21, 2023 • 21min
Leveraging AI in Travel Marketing Today
There are those harnessing artificial intelligence right now. These pioneers are not waiting for the future to arrive; they are embracing AI tools already. Marketing Disrupter Henry Cowling explains how to “talk to your data,” how to speed up the creation of assets, and how AI can be used for better media placement. Henry Cowling is Chief Innovation Officer at Media.Monks, which has recently been named Adweek's AI Agency of the Year.

Nov 15, 2023 • 15min
How Destinations Can Maximize Relationships with Native American Tribes
Mark dives deep into a terrific tourism relationship between Visit Greater Palm Springs and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. You’ll hear about how to grow mutual respect, understanding, and tourism from Colleen Pace, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Visit Greater Palm Springs, and Kate Anderson, Director of P.R. for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by learning how you can take your destination to the next level.

Nov 9, 2023 • 18min
A Cool Activation For Your Next Consumer Event with “Song Confessional”
At SXSW in Australia, we were introduced to “Song Confessional,” a mobile recording studio team who welcome attendees to anonymously confess secrets - from the mundane to the shocking - and then turn the confessions into one-of-a-kind songs. Mark speaks with Creator/Producer Walker Lukens, an Austin-based musician who’s been described as “the best songwriter in Texas,” and Rylan Keturi, of 7S Management. Hear about how they work with Destinations, and listen to a song from the mobile studio.

Nov 7, 2023 • 13min
Three Decades of SXSW with Hugh Forrest
We meet with Hugh to discuss Brand USA’s recent participation with SXSW in Sydney, Australia, and hear other international possibilities for destinations. Few people are more tapped into event planning, developments in tech, music, and culture than Hugh Forrest, Co-President and Chief Programming Officer at SXSW. Anyone working in planning conferences and conventions in the Travel Industry can learn a lot from what Hugh says in this podcast. Plus, we discuss SXSW’s amazing historical musical line-up, from Johnny Cash to Beck to Billie Eilish.