Released on: October 17, 2008, 5:12 am

Press Release Author: Sheila Armstrong

Industry: Entertainment

Press Release Summary: The American Association of Museums (AAM), the Museum Store
Association (MSA) and the U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Council
(USCHT) are collaborating to promote cultural travel to and within the United
States.

Press Release Body: Chesterfield, MO, October 17, 2008 -- The American Association
of Museums (AAM), the Museum Store Association (MSA) and the U.S. Cultural and
Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) are collaborating to promote cultural
travel to and within the United States. The three organizations aim to increase
visitation to cultural and historic sites through targeted travel marketing avenues.

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Travel & Tourism and Travel Industry
Association research shows that cultural and heritage tourism is the #3 tourism
activity in the United States. Their studies also confirm that cultural and heritage
travelers are more affluent, travel more frequently, stay longer in a destination
and seek out unique cultural and heritage experiences.

EURWe look forward to this innovative collaboration with the Museum Store Association
and U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council,EUR said Ford W. Bell,
president of AAM. EURCultural travel is a priority for museum visitors and a key
strategy for AAM members to help boost visitation."

The three organizations are coordinating plans for The Cultural Traveler Pavilion
that will premiere at the American Association of MuseumEUR(tm)s annual conference in
April 2009 in Philadelphia. Building on EURThe Museum ExperimentEUR theme, the pavilion
will showcase the USCHT Marketing CouncilEUR(tm)s CultureToursAndMore.com partners in
destinations including Philadelphia and promote cultural tourism marketing
strategies in an educational and entertaining format on the AAM tradeshow floor.
EURThe Cultural Traveler Pavilion will be an exciting interactive showcase,EUR said
Sheila Armstrong, executive director of the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism
Marketing Council. EURReaching out collaboratively to the cultural travel segment, we
can compound our efforts to cultivate this audience that appreciates the many
cultural and heritage treasures of our country and invite them to experience them
more frequently.EUR

MSA and USCHT Marketing Council also will launch The Cultural Traveler, an exclusive
new publication and Web site, in the first quarter of 2009. This tourism-focused
guidebook is devoted to cultural and heritage tourism and celebrates the leading
museums, historic sites and museum stores throughout the United States. AAM and its
members will be showcased in the guidebook and Web site. Participants include
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center; Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum,
Auburn, IN; Barona Cultural Center & Museum, Lakeside, CA; The ChildrenEUR(tm)s Museum of
Indianapolis; Foundation for the National Archives, Washington, DC; Georgia OEUR(tm)Keeffe
Museum, Santa Fe, NM; Gray Line; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Legion
of Honor, San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles Convention & Visitor Bureau; Minnesota
Historical Society; Missouri Historical Society; New Mexico Museum of Natural
History and Science; New York Transit Museum; The North Carolina Arboretum; Pasadena
Convention & Visitors Bureau; Saint Louis Art Museum; Springs Preserve EUR" Las Vegas;
Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Ocean Springs, MS; Westmoreland Museum of American
Art, Greensburg, PA; and the de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA.

EURThe Cultural Traveler will be distributed to thousands of consumers, tour
operators, travel agents and travel media interested in cultural travel and museum
store shopping. By increasing awareness and interest in visiting museums and museum
stores as unique cultural destinations, the publication also will help drive
attendance at cultural institutions in general,EUR said Beverly Barsook, executive
director of the Museum Store Association.

Exposure to the tourism market will be further enhanced by an online version of The
Cultural Traveler, featuring direct links to participantsEUR(tm) Web sites and other
tourism content at www.Museum-Store.travel . EURThe American Association of Museums
will have a featured link on The Cultural Traveler Web site, providing access to all
AAM member listings, thus facilitating ease of access to information for cultural
travel planning,EUR Barsook noted.

The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906,
helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge,
and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With
more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional and 300 corporate members, AAM is
dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape,
connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past,
present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

Museum Store Association is a nonprofit, international association organized to
advance the success of museum retail professionals. By encouraging high standards of
professionalism, MSA helps cultural commerce professionals better serve their
organizations. MSA also is focused on helping increase awareness about museum stores
as unique shopping destinations for tourists and cultural travelers. As part of a
strategic alliance with the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council
(USCHT) and Shop America Alliance (SAA), MSA provides expertise in the cultural and
heritage tourism arena to its members and the general public. For additional
information about the Museum Store Association, visit
www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org or call (303) 504-9223.

U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Council is a travel trade association
with a mission to package, market and sell U.S. cultural and heritage tourism
experiences both nationally and internationally. The Marketing Council represents
leading U.S. tourism destinations, attractions and travel partners engaged in
marketing U.S. cultural and heritage to travelers throughout the United States and
around the world. Partners include the U.S. Department of Commerce / Office of
Travel & Tourism Industries, California Travel & Tourism Commission, VISIT FLORIDA,
the Museum Store Association, The Henry Ford, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing
Council, Atlanta CVB, New Orleans CVB, Hilton Head CVB and Shop America Alliance.
For additional information visit www.uscht.com or contact Sheila Armstrong at (843)
341-6392 or USCHTMarketing@aol.com. To view the Culture Tours and More Packages,
visit www.culturetoursandmore.com.
Press Release Submission By PressReleasePoint(http://www.pressreleasepoint.com)

Contact:

Sheila Armstrong
Executive Director
U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council
Chesterfield, MO
(843) 341-6392
USCHTMarketing@aol.com
http://www.uscht.com

Web Site: http://www.uscht.com

Contact Details: Sheila Armstrong
Executive Director
U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council
Chesterfield, MO
(843) 341-6392
USCHTMarketing@aol.com
http://www.uscht.com