Brand USA announces the launch of Travesía Musical in Mexico

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Brand USA announces the launch of Travesía Musical in Mexico

  • MacGillivray Freeman Films, Brand USA, and Sponsoring Partners Announce the Mexico Launch of Travesía Musical, their Newest IMAX® Documentary Starring Grammy Award®-Nominated Singer and Songwriter Aloe Blacc and Narrated by World Famous Guitarist and Composer, Javier Bátiz
  • New film uses the universal language of music to welcome Mexican travelers to most iconic cities in the USA

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, 2018-Mar-19 — /Travel PR News/ — Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, and MacGillivray Freeman Films have rejoined forces, along with the global presenting sponsor Expedia group, to introduce their second giant screen film, Travesía Musical, to audiences in Mexico. Narrated by world renowned guitarist and composer Javier Bátiz and starring Grammy Award®-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc, the new film is a cornerstone of Brand USA’s marketing strategy to continue promoting the United States as a premier travel destination. Brand USA hosts Travesía Musical’s Mexico City premiere on Thursday, March 15, at the Papalote Museo del Niño, inviting musicians, filmmakers, influencers and government officials to celebrate the film’s launch as well as enjoy a live performance from the star of the show, Aloe Blacc. The film will play in select IMAX® and giant screen theaters across Mexico including locations in Mexico City, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Mexicali with additional locations being added later this year.

Mexico is the first international market to screen Travesía Musical since its global release in February 2018. Uncovering the United States’ rich musical heritage, the film follows Aloe Blacc as he traces the USA’s unique musical roots, following the footsteps of Louis Armstrong through the colorful locales and cultures of the United States’ musical heritage. During the film, Blacc visits iconic music cities in the USA including New Orleans, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; New York City, New York; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Miami, Florida, and more. Travesía Musical explores the collision of cultures that gave birth to American music genres such as jazz, the blues, country, rock and roll, hip-hop, and more.

As audiences join Blacc on this joyful, tune-filled tour, they’ll experience adventures like paddle-wheel boating up the Mississippi Delta, flash mob dancing in Chicago, and skydiving with Elvis Presley impersonators over Memphis in scenes shot exclusively for the giant screen. Audiences will also meet other iconic artists, musicians, and innovators who are currently shaping American culture, including Jon Batiste, bandleader and musical director of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Latin music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and many more.

Academy Award®-nominated director Greg MacGillivray threads all these images together to create an immersive experience of culture and creativity with a soundtrack that showcases the United States’ passion for creative innovation at its purest. “America’s music has its roots in the diverse cultures that came together from different parts of the world, culminating in a unique blend of sound, culture, and innovation,” said MacGillivray. “This creativity and trailblazing spirit is what makes American music such a treasured experience around the world. I hope people are inspired to explore their own creativity after seeing the film.”

“Music is an essential part of the human experience, and I look forward to helping audiences discover the unique cultural influences that gave rise to jazz, the blues, folk and other musical genres in the United States,” says Aloe Blacc. “I love the freedom of expression in this country, which is a source of creativity and innovation unlike anywhere else.”

According to the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Mexico was the second-largest source market for international visitation to the United States in 2016, showing seven years of growth, and was second only to China in terms of international spend. In addition, according to the most recent NTTO forecast, the United States is expected to see a 14.5 percent increase in visitor volume over the next five years—from 17.3 million visitors from Mexico in 2017 to 19.8 million annual visitors forecasted for 2022. Further pointing to the growth in visitation from Mexico to the United States, Brand USA’s December 2017 proprietary research indicates that 81 percent of international travelers from Mexico are likely to visit the USA in the next two years, up from 78 percent in December 2016.

“We are proud to present our second giant screen film in Mexico to inspire travelers to visit the USA using the universal language of music. Mexico is a critical market for Brand USA as we embrace the strong affinity that travelers from Mexico and the USA have for each other. That’s why we have made and will continue to make a significant commitment to inviting and welcoming travelers from Mexico to the United States,” said Christopher L. Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA. “Using music to showcase the depth of cultural experiences available throughout some of the most iconic cities in the United States, Travesía Musical will inspire and welcome millions of travelers from all over the world to discover their own American musical journey.”

“Music has the power to bring people together, especially here in the United States where diversity and creative freedom are such an important part of the culture,” says Shaun MacGillivray, producer of Travesía Musical and president of MacGillivray Freeman Films. “We’re using the immersive, visual giant screen experience to tell the story of America’s musical and cultural heritage in a new and powerful way.”

In Mexico City, Brand USA will work with Expedia to celebrate the musical heritage of iconic cites in the United States with surprise performances across the city in the immediate weeks following the premiere. The film formally opened in Mexico on March 1 in Tijuana at Centro Cultural Tijuana and on March 15 in Mexico City and Monterrey at the Papalote Museo del Niño in both locations. It will open in Aquascalientes, Mexicali and other locations later this year.

“As a longtime partner of Brand USA, we are honored to lend support and raise awareness as a global sponsor and exclusive online travel activation partner of this film,” said Wendy Olson Killion, global senior director of Expedia Media Solutions. “We believe music has the ability to inspire travelers from all over the world to explore new places and cultures.”  “As Mexico’s global airline, it is a pleasure for Aeromexico to have a partner such as Brand USA to help expand our presence in the United States, a strategic market that has been increasing since our Joint Cooperation Agreement with Delta Air Lines,” said Andrés Castañeda, chief marketing and customer experience officer. “We are certain that this partnership will not only propel connectivity between both countries but also tourism and cultural ties.”

Leveraging the immersive nature of the giant screen to show travelers the nearly limitless experiences that the United States has to offer remains an integral part of Brand USA’s marketing strategies to drive international tourism to communities in all 50 states, the five territories, and the District of Columbia. Brand USA’s first giant screen film, National Parks Adventure, which was voted Best Film of the Year by the Giant Screen Cinema Association and was the highest grossing documentary film of 2016, had a notable impact on driving intent to visit the USA. Based on audience surveys, 81 percent of international audiences indicated they were much more likely or somewhat more likely to visit the USA as a result of watching the film and 62 percent of audiences said they were more likely to visit the USA instead of another destination.

For a current list of theaters showing Travesía Musical in Mexico, please click here. To discover more about the USA’s rich musical culture and the diversity of experiences the country has to offer, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website VisitTheUSA.mx and follow Visit The USA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About MacGillivray Freeman Films
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant-screen 70mm films with 40 films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres to its credit. Throughout the company’s 50-year history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award® nominations and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one-billion-dollar benchmark for worldwide box office. For more information about the company, visit MacGillivrayFreemanFilms.com.

About the Expedia group
The Expedia group (NASDAQ: EXPE) is the world’s largest online travel company, with an extensive brand portfolio that includes leading online travel brands, such as:

  • Expedia.com®, a leading full-service online travel brand with localized sites in 33 countries
  • Hotels.com®, a leading global lodging expert operating 90 localized websites in 41 languages with its award winning Hotels.com® Rewards loyalty program
  • Expedia® Affiliate Network (EAN), a global B2B brand that powers the hotel business of hundreds of leading airlines, travel agencies, loyalty and corporate travel companies plus several top consumer brands through its API and template solutions
  • trivago®, a leading online hotel search platform with sites in 55 countries worldwide
  • HomeAway®, a global online marketplace for the vacation rental industry, which also includes the Abritel™, FeWo-direkt™ and BedandBreakfast.com® brands, among others
  • Egencia®, a leading corporate travel management company
  • Orbitz® and CheapTickets®, leading U.S. travel websites, as well as ebookers®, a full-service travel brand with websites in seven European countries
  • Travelocity®, a leading online travel brand in the U.S. and Canada, takes care of travelers by providing enjoyable travel through exceptional service, expert advice and guaranteed value for every trip, anytime, anywhere
  • Hotwire®, a leading online travel site offering spontaneous travel through Hot Rate® deals
  • Wotif Group, a leading portfolio of travel brands including Wotif.com®, Wotif.co.nz, lastminute.com.au®, lastminute.co.nz and travel.com.au®
  • Expedia® Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of the Expedia group that builds creative media partnerships and enables brand advertisers to target a highly-qualified audience of travel consumers
  • CarRentals.com™, a premier online car rental booking company with localized sites in four countries
  • Classic Vacations®, a top luxury travel specialist
  • Expedia Local Expert®, a provider of online and in-market concierge services, activities, experiences and ground transportation in over a thousand destinations worldwide
  • Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, a provider of exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 250 retail travel agency franchises across North America
  • SilverRail Technologies, Inc., provider of a global rail retail and distribution platform connecting rail carriers and suppliers to both online and offline travel distributors

For corporate and industry news and views, visit us at www.expediainc.com or follow us on Twitter @expediainc.

Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.  © 2018 Expedia, Inc.  All rights reserved.  CST: 2029030-50

About Aeromexico
Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexico´s global airline, operates more than 600 daily flights and its main hub is in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features more than 90 cities on three continents, including 44 destinations in Mexico, 23 in the United States, 15 in Latin America, 4 in Canada, 4 in Europe, and 3 in Asia.

The Group’s operating fleet of more than 130 aircraft is comprised of Boeing 787 and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 170 and 190 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX B737 jet airliners and 10 B787-9 Dreamliner’s.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Aeromexico offers customers more than 1,000 destinations in 177 countries served by the 20 SkyTeam airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to 672 premium airport lounges around the world. Aeromexico also offers travel on its codeshare partner flights with Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, and WestJet, with extensive connectivity in countries like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, and Peru.  www.aeromexico.com www.skyteam.com

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Brand USA

Camila Clark
+1 443.280.1794
CClark@TheBrandUSA.com

Monica Ceballos
+1 310.617.7986
MCeballos@TheBrandUSA.com

MacGillivray Freeman Films

Lori Rick
+1 949.494.1055
LRick@MacFreeFilms.com

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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. According to studies by Oxford Economics, over the past four years Brand USA’s marketing initiatives have helped welcome 4.3 million incremental visitors to the USA, benefiting the U.S. economy with nearly $30 billion in total economic impact, which has supported, on average, 51,000 incremental jobs a year.

For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit TheBrandUSA.com. For information about exceptional and unexpected travel experiences in the United States, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website VisitTheUSA.com (global).

SOURCE: Brand USA