Eighty-two percent of the members of the U.S. Tour Operators Association expect growth in 2020 with 45 percent optimistic and even forecasting a "boom year," according to the organization's annual member survey.
The results were released at the USTOA's conference underway this week at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Florida.
"Member confidence levels for the year ahead are high with roughly three-quarters of our tour operator members 'confident' or 'highly confident' that revenues will increase in the coming year," said Terry Dale, president and CEO for USTOA. "This is particularly encouraging, especially as we approach an election year, where historically consumer spending is more conservative.
"In fact, when asked about potential threats to traveler confidence in the year ahead, the presidential election year topped the list," Dale continued. Recession was named the second global risk that could impact potential growth in 2020, followed by global financial instability in third.
The New Year also bodes well for travel agents. In 2019, 51 percent of all member bookings were made through a travel agency and 84 percent reported using travel advisors to sell their products. In 2020, 94 percent expect business booked by travel advisors to remain the same or increase.
In the opening general session, Dale announced that USTOA will hold its first sustainability conference on May 20-21, 2020, in Bodø, Norway. The announcement was made after a greeting from Visit Norway, which showcased the sustainability efforts underway in that country. The "Sustainability is Responsibility" will feature the Innovation Lab with Cornell University's SC Johnson Graduate School of Management.
USTOA also announced the 2020 Board of Directors, five of whom will serve as the Executive Committee.
Leading the Executive Committee as the new chairman is Charlie Ball, executive vice president of Holland America Group, with Scott Wiseman, president of Travel Impressions, as vice chair; Elizabeth Crabill, CEO of CIE Tours International, as treasurer; Madhvi Buch, senior vice president of The Travel Corporation USA, as secretary; and Dana Santucci, vice president of EF Educational Tours, as immediate past chair.
Additionally, the USTOA 2020 Board of Directors includes Bob Drumm, president, Alexander + Roberts; Carol Dimopoulos, president, Perillo's Learning Journeys; Dan Mahar, CEO, Tauck; Emma Cottis, general manager - corporate affairs, Goway; Jeff Roy, executive vice president, Collette; John Hanratty, chief marketing officer, Avanti Destinations; Kirk Demeter, president and owner, Down Under Answers; Nish Patel, president, Mayflower Cruises & Tours; Ray Hourani, director of travel air operators, Club Adventures by AAA Exclusive Vacations; and Scott Nisbet, president & CEO, Globus Family of Brands.
Also new for 2020 is a partnership with Joe's Pub, a non-profit music venue in New York City. USTOA will host four nights of live music from bands from other countries and record music videos interspersed with B-roll from the destinations. Dale quoted the saying, "Music is the new gastronomy."
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