With the inauguration of the new president, and the ongoing risk of tariffs, the United States is rarely out of the news. Despite potential challenges ahead, the US remains a crucial market for the British luxury sector. Whether driven by British luxury goods on sale in the United States or American tourists visiting the UK, the opportunity for growth in Anglo-American luxury trade and tourism has never been more visible or valuable.
That's why, from Tuesday 18th March to Thursday 20th March, Walpole will host the British Luxury Trade Mission to New York – a three-day delegation to the city designed to promote Anglo-American trade, develop business, media and diplomatic relationships, and support Walpole members in promoting and developing their brands in the US. Through the trip’s promotional activities, Walpole flies the flag for British luxury in the largest luxury goods market.
It's worth remembering that the US market is still the largest one in the world for luxury, valued at $106bn – and New York alone accounts for $30bn of that. Beyond that, the US remains the UK’s top inbound tourism market by value and the leisure market leads the reasons for them visiting our nation, with holidays accounting for over 50% of all visits to the UK – and the New York Tri-State Area and California generating the most visits within that.
Building on the success of previous trips, the newly formatted programme will see Walpole host a series of events and meetings to promote both British luxury in the US and high-value American visitors to the UK, as well as supporting trade with one of our key export markets, the trip also promotes US inbound tourism to the UK encouraging high-value American visitors.
