Brand USA appoints Hill Balfour as UK representative
Brand USA has chosen Hills Balfour as its UK and Ireland representation agency, ending a five-year partnership with Black Diamond.
The new partnership is initially for one year and officially starts on May 30.
Under the agreement, Hills Balfour will provide travel marketing, representation and PR to Brand USA.
Hills Balfour managing director Jonathan Sloan said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Brand USA and working with the team in Washington D.C. and with US destination marketing organisations to continue to drive numbers from the UK and Ireland to the USA."
Hills Balfour already represents several US regions, including NYC & Co, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Hawaii and Palm Beach.
Black Diamond head of travel PR Sarah Barnett said: "We are proud to have established Brand USA as the official destination marketing organisation for the USA in the UK and Irish markets.
"We take pride in the successes we have achieved and through our innovative work undertaken on their behalf both in market and globally, winning numerous awards and reaching record visitor figures to the US."
The partnership announcement comes amid uncertainty over the long-term future of Brand USA under the Trump administration. As reported on TravelMole this week, US Travel Association president and CEO Roger Dowe said he was perplexed by proposals by the Trump Administration to ‘eliminate’ Brand USA.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026