Washington, D.C., USA (January 13, 2022) – Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), today announced it will partner with Brand USA and Miles Partnership to sponsor iolite group’s upcoming study “The Multicultural Multiplier: Cultural Diversity’s Impact on Travel Intent.” The study will quantify the impact that showcasing cultural diversity has on traveler intentions. Travelers from Canada, China, Mexico, U.K. and U.S. will be surveyed for this study, with fieldwork commencing in early 2022.

Key study objectives include:

• Quantifying the impact that showcasing cultural diversity has on travelers.
• Defining what traveler perceptions and behaviors are impacted, and by how much.
• Uncovering insights to enhance marketing effectiveness for culturally diverse experiences.
• Defining profile(s) of culturally curious travelers.

Learn more about the project here.

“Destinations International is committed to transforming destination communities through thought leadership, best practices and tool-based initiatives on equity, diversity and inclusion principles so their destinations are true reflections of their communities,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International. “The rich cultures that make up destinations around the world enhance the visitor proposition and provide direct economic support for often minority-owned businesses and thanks to the partnership of iolite group, Brand USA and Miles Partnership, we will be able to understand the impact that showcasing cultural diversity has on traveler intentions.”

“As the nation’s tourism marketing organization, Brand USA views cultural diversity as one of its most compelling storytelling platforms,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer of Brand USA. “We are thrilled to partner with Destinations International and Miles Partnership to support iolite group’s study, which will provide insights to help the industry bolster both economic growth and appreciation for experiences that reflect the rich diversity of our destinations.”

“We at iolite group, along with Destinations International, Brand USA and Miles Partnership, believe there is phenomenal potential in showcasing cultural diversity -- not only to share what makes a destination truly special, but also to support small, often minority-owned businesses,” said Carroll Rheem, founder and CEO of iolite group. “The study’s objectives are to quantify that potential and generate actionable marketing insights to help enrich destination storytelling in a way that benefits both travelers and local communities.”

“At Miles Partnership, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion to evolve equitable and inclusive marketing practices to better advise our clients, their communities and the visitors they serve,” said Melissa Cherry, chief diversity and inclusion officer at Miles Partnership. “We are excited to support this critical study along with Destinations International and Brand USA to better understand how culturally rich experiences are powerful in their ability to both enhance the visitor proposition and showcase the diversity within a destination.”

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact Diane Shuart at [email protected].

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About Brand USA
Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act as the nation's first public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. travel policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. The organization's mission is to increase international visitation to the USA in order to fuel the U.S. economy and enhance the image of the United States worldwide. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA.       

About Destinations International:
Destinations International (formerly Destination Marketing Association International) is the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with more than 4,700 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in approximately 15 countries, Destinations International represents a powerful forward-thinking, collaborative association; exchanging bold ideas, connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest potential. For more information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org. 

About iolite group
iolite group bridges the gap between data and action, helping travel & tourism organizations not just prepare for the future, but define it. Breaking away from traditional strategy and insights practices, iolite group operates with a foundational premise: along with economic growth, generating a positive, measurable social impact is an essential component of success. To learn more about iolite group, visit our website www.iolitegroup.com.

About Miles Partnership
Miles Partnership is a strategic marketing company focused exclusively on travel and tourism. Miles works with more than 130 destinations and hospitality businesses to create forward-thinking print and digital content marketing solutions.