May 2017 - Welcome to Brand USA's monthly media newsletter with all the top stateside news spanning the next few months. Please include the URL VisitTheUSA.com / VisitTheUSA.co.uk to entice your readers with more USA adventures.

Norwegian Announces Direct Denver and Seattle Flights

Starting September 2017, Norwegian Air will fly directly to the 'Mile High City' and Nirvana's home town, Seattle, Washington. The airline has announced a 16th September launch for twice-weekly flights to Denver, Colorado and 17th September for flights between London Gatwick and Seattle three-times-weekly, both priced from £179 each way, available for booking now. The announcement comes as Denver experiences an influx of new hotels, including Halcyon in Cherry Creek and The Source Hotel – the first in Denver's trendy RiNo district. Meanwhile, Seattle is introducing 700 new hotel rooms, with the opening of eight hotels in the city.

www.norwegian.com / www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/destination/Denver / www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/destination/Seattle

Seattle's Pike Place Market to Expand

Known to both visitors and locals as the heart and soul of Seattle, Washington, Pike Place Market will unveil a $73 million extension on 29th  June 2017. First opened in 1907, Pike Place Market is one of the oldest continuously operated farmers markets in the USA, welcoming 10 million visitors annually. The extension welcomes 47 new stalls, 12,000 square feet of artisan purveyors, and a viewing deck overlooking Elliott Bay.

www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/destination/Seattle   / www.pikeplacemarket.org

Santa Cruz Bites Back as Lost Boys Turns 30

Cult vampire movie, The Lost Boys, was released on 31st July 1987, with many haunts featured in the film still standing in Santa Cruz, California today. Santa Cruz Boardwalk – which saw the start of the infamous motorcycle race – will also be introducing two new rides this summer, including The 65 foot Shockwave with 24 motorcycles delivering a rush as they spin thrill-seekers in the air. To celebrate the film's anniversary, The Boardwalk will kick off their summer film series with a showing of The Lost Boys, with a limited edition Blood Orange flavoured taffy available at Marini's Candies at the Beach and Vampire Resistant garlic fries. Other sites to relive the 1980's teenage-vamp fantasies in Santa Cruz include the scenic West Cliff Drive from the opening scenes, the location of Max's Video store at Santa Cruz Wharf, and the comic book shop on Pacific Avenue, whose owner, Joe Ferrara, played an extra in the movie. www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/state/California / www.visitsantacruz.org 

Antelope Island Added to Stellar Dark Sky Park Line-up

Antelope Island State Park – located one hour's drive south of Salt Lake City, Utah – has officially been awarded the prestigious accolade of being an International Dark Sky Park. Reserved for the world's most spectacular starscapes, this is the state's ninth International Dark Sky Park, meaning Utah is now home to more than any other state or province globally. The park is classed as an 'astro- tourism' hub and features several campsites to marvel at the star-filled skies at night. During daylight hours visitors can hike, mountain bike, or horseback ride the park's backcountry trails to take in island and lake scenery. Night sky enthusiasts can enjoy a plethora of events throughout Utah and across the USA this summer as the state hosts full moon mountain treks from Robert Redford's Sundance Mountain Resort, the 'Master Astronomer Program' and free star parties at Cedar Breaks National Monument, whilst a total solar eclipse will take place on 21st August, spanning eleven states from Oregon to South Carolina.

www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/state/Utah

Georgia Welcomes Pop Culture Explosion this May

Savannah, Georgia's beach district of Tybee Island will hit the big screen this month as the much-anticipated Baywatch movie comes to UK cinemas on 29th May. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Zac Efron made Tybee Island their home in 2016 as beach scenes were filmed in the laid-back resort. Also in Georgia this month, the Atlanta Jazz Festival will welcome international jazz superstars from 26th – 28th  May, with a line-up including Charles Lloyd, Macy Gray, Nicholas Payton, and Regina Carter. In line with the event, a 40 days of jazz programme leads up to the festival, with a neighbourhood jazz series and a jazz pool party with KP The Great on 25th May.

www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/state/Georgia / www.atlantafestivals.com

San Francisco Prepares for Summer of Love

This summer marks 50 years since the 'groovy' social phenomenon of The Summer of Love took hold in San Francisco, California. 100,000 'flower children' sporting hippie fashions and behaviours converged in the city's Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood, creating a blast of glamour, ecstasy, and Utopianism. Visitors looking to experience the vibes of 1967 can take part in a number of events throughout the summer, including a contemporary Summer of Love ballet at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts this month; a Summer of Love Week from 18th – 25th June is housing a variety of exhibitions and performances celebrating the art, music and history that moved this radical movement; and a 50th anniversary Monterey International Pop Festival from 16th – 18th June presented on the same dates and stage as in 1967. For a taste of California's love and freedom in London, the Design Museum's next must- visit exhibition is themed around the Golden State's contribution to personal freedom – as well as the teens of the 1960's; from Black Panther propaganda to the original Apple Mac sketches. The exhibit will run from 24th May – 15th October 2017. (Image credit: Gene Anthony) www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/destination/San-Francisco / www.summeroflove2017.com

World OutGames USA Debut Takes Place in Miami

The World OutGames Miami 2017 will welcome thousands of athletes, spectators and thought leaders from around the globe as they converge in Miami, Florida from 26th May – 4th June 2017. Making its U.S. debut, the 10-day event will bring to life 30 sports and 400 events across the areas of Sports, Culture, and Human Rights. Every four years, World OutGames brings together LGBTQI athletes, many from countries where homosexuality remains illegal and hidden. In the spirit of true inclusiveness, the World OutGames is open to all, regardless of sexual orientation. Sports include from Beach Volleyball to synchronised swimming to track and field, with cultural events running alongside the games such as cabaret show, It takes a village, people!, and a tour of Wynwood Art District.

www.VisitTheUSA.co.uk/destination/Miami / www.OutGames.org

-ENDS-

Find out more at VisitTheUSA.co.uk / VisitTheUSA.com

About Brand USA:

Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation 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 travellers. The organisation'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 three years Brand USA's marketing initiatives have helped welcome more than 3 million incremental visitors to the USA, benefiting the U.S. economy with nearly $21 billion in total economic impact, which has supported, on average, 50,000 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.co.uk

For further Brand USA, United Kingdom & Ireland press information, contact:

Polly Beech / Sarah Barnett / Cat Parkinson PBeech@TheBrandUSA.co.uk / SBarnett@TheBrandUSA.co.uk / CParkinson@TheBrandUSA.co.uk

020 7845 6359 / 020 7845 6378 / 020 7845 6383