National Geographic Travel and Brand USA Team Up for Great American Road Trip

CHICAGO (April 10, 2014)-The National Geographic Travel group and Brand USA, the nation's destination marketing organization, have announced a digital campaign developed to showcase iconic road trips across America to international travelers. Through the campaign, Andrew Evans, National Geographic Travel's Digital Nomad, will be embarking on five awe-inspiring road trips that highlight the beauty, bounty and unique travel experiences one can expect from the American open road. The partnership was announced at the Brand USA press conference held this week at U.S. Travel Association's annual IPW conference in Chicago.

I have always been fascinated by road trips and feel that there can be no better way to see the real heart and soul of the United States than by driving cross-country, said Evans. I will document my experiences and the people and places that touch me along the way in real time using various social media channels, so that my followers may embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey with me.

One of the best ways to discover and experience the USA is by car, and that's why we've enlisted the support of National Geographic Travel and Digital Nomad Andrew Evans to take us along for a ride, said Christopher Thompson, Brand USA's president and CEO. Andrew will help tell the story of the USA by car as he travels along 23 destinations reporting his experience through Brand USA and National Geographic's digital channels.

Evans began his journey this week in Chicago traveling the famed Route 66. From now until May 10, Evans will tweet, blog, vlog and Instagram on NationalGeographic.com's Digital Nomad blog (http://digitalnomad.nationalgeographic.com), his Twitter feed @WheresAndrew and his Where's Andrew Facebook page throughout his trip through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The Digital Nomad site will also feature an interactive map tracking Evans' whereabouts during his journey. Evans will upload videos and photo galleries from each of the cities he visits.

The four additional road trips Evans will be documenting this year are Rhythms of the South, the Northeast Corridor, Mountains and Prairies, and Western Trails.

About Andrew Evans

Andrew Evans is a veteran travel writer for National Geographic Traveler magazine and National Geographic's Intelligent Travel blog. In 2013, he journeyed to Tanzania, where he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro; visited Montana; took a trip to the Gal pagos Islands; and explored his heritage in Texas. In 2012, he went Around the World by Private Jet with National Geographic Expeditions; explored Switzerland's diverse cantons, foods and languages; traveled through Norway's biggest cities; and uncovered Maya mysteries in Mexico. He also went to South Africa and Malawi and was one of the first to report the death of Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika.

In 2011, he explored the best of Ontario, Canada; tweeted and blogged around Japan; and wined and dined his way through Louisiana, experiencing the best of the bayous and New Orleans. He finished the year skiing, snow-shoeing and trekking through western Canada's ski country with renowned mountaineers, ski instructors and naturalists.

In 2010, Evans journeyed from Washington, D.C., to Antarctica - a 10,000-mile trip through 14 countries - using public transportation as far as he could go. He rode buses to Ushuaia in Argentina, the southernmost city in the world, and then boarded the vessel National Geographic Explorer to Antarctica.

About National Geographic Travel

National Geographic Travel is the travel arm of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, founded in 1888. National Geographic Travel creates, discovers and showcases meaningful and engaging travel experiences through National Geographic Traveler magazine; National Geographic Expeditions; travel books; maps; apps; digital travel content; the Adventure website; and travel photography programs. National Geographic Traveler (eight issues per year) is the world's most widely read travel magazine and has 14 international editions. It is available by subscription, on newsstands in the United States and Canada, and digitally for tablets. National Geographic Expeditions, the travel program of the Society, offers a variety of unique travel experiences led by top experts to more than 60 destinations across all seven continents. Travel opportunities include family and student expeditions, active adventures, private jet trips and voyages on the six expedition ships in the National Geographic-Lindblad fleet, as well as photography workshops, expeditions and seminars. The National Geographic Travel digital group offers inspiring and authoritative digital travel and adventure content such as trip ideas, photo galleries, blogs and apps. National Geographic Travel Books bring readers curated travel advice and inspiration. Follow National Geographic Travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Brand USA

Brand USA was established by the Travel Promotion Act to spearhead the nation's first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. With a mission of increasing international visitation to the United States, Brand USA works in close partnership with the travel industry to maximize the economic and social benefits of travel. These benefits include creating jobs essential to the economy and fostering understanding between people and cultures. Intent to visit the United States has increased 12 to 22 percent in mar

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