Icelandair & Brand USA to Iceland and the Midwest: ‘Best of Both Worlds’

What happens when you mix the fire-and-ice magic of Iceland with the blues, skyscrapers and culinary delights of the Midwest through Icelandair thanks to Brand USA? Then you get a dynamic cocktail that the winners of their campaign were able to experience at the end of May, for no less than ten days. TravMagazine had the pleasure of coming along and reporting on the trip to Iceland, Chicago and Michigan in the United States. During the Icelandair and Brand USA campaign, which ran from June to November 2023, travel professionals were able to win a study trip spot by completing the Icelandair course on TravEcademy and five training sessions per month in the Brand USA Discovery Program. They fought diligently and worked until the late hours to get on board Icelandair last May 29. ‘It was really addictive and very educational. I wanted to get as many badges as possible and spent hours, but I also wanted to win so badly’, says Grace Stuurman of TravelXL Van Limburg.
Vivian Heugen of Personal Touch Travel adds: ‘I really went for it and had even asked for time off for the travel period in May and June!’

No less than six Dutch and six Belgian travel agents eventually took the win and were allowed to enjoy the program for ten days in Iceland, Chicago (Illinois), St. Petersburg. Joseph, Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan.

Logical collaboration

Following an online training course is a good way to gain knowledge quickly, but experiencing it yourself is of course even better. That’s why Icelandair and Brand USA have teamed up to make this happen. Charonne in het Veld-Oling, trade manager for Brand USA in the Benelux: ‘We wanted to put the Midwest more on the map and draw attention to it, because it is simply a beautiful and versatile region. It has not yet been discovered by the masses, so you will experience the real USA. The people are friendly, hospitable and you won’t find many tourists. In combination with Icelandair’s strong network, the collaboration was quickly established.’

Iceland is a welcome stopover on the route to North America and Canada. “When you fly transatlantic with Icelandair from Amsterdam (daily) or Brussels (3-7 times a week) to one of the seventeen airports in North America, you can choose to add a stopover of one to seven days in Iceland without an additional airfare,” says Marieke van der Weijden, account manager at Icelandair for the Netherlands. ‘You can enjoy hot springs, the northern lights, puffins, whales and the overwhelming nature with volcanoes, waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. The slogan ‘Easy to Stop – Hard to Leave’ applies for a reason. This way you get two trips for the price of one plane ticket,’ adds Van der Weijden.

Þetta Reddast (Everything Will Be Alright)

The winner’s trip starts in Iceland with the message on the local news: ‘Intense earthquake at Sundhnúksgígar – the magma flow has started with an eruption as a result’. TravMagazine is ready to report, with the ash cloud from the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 still in the back of our minds, but it turns out to be a daily occurrence for Icelanders. They respond with ‘Þetta Reddast’, an often heard credo, which means as much as ‘Don’t worry, everything will be fine!’.

It’s the umpteenth eruption that week, so we can ‘cool off’ in the Sky Lagoon, a hot spring just a fifteen-minute drive from Reykjavik and also a great alternative to the more famous Blue Lagoon, which attracts many visitors. Reykjavík is explored, including its brightly colored houses and the special Harpa concert hall. Because Iceland is only visited for a short time, FlyOver Iceland was chosen, a virtual flight with full-motion seats, wind, sound and even smells that take you on an exciting journey through the ever-changing Icelandic landscapes. Afterwards, the winners will be amazed at the interactive Lava Show, where a volcanic eruption is simulated by heating real lava to 1100°C and seeing it flow up close, hear it hiss and feel the incredible heat.

Great Lakes & Concrete Jungle

We continue our journey with Icelandair to Chicago, also known as the Windy City. This nickname refers not only to the powerful winds from Lake Michigan, the largest lake in the United States and one and a half times the size of the Netherlands, but also to the boastful nature of the city’s residents and politicians, who were known for their ‘blow a lot of wind’. In Chicago, we take a city tour through Millennium Park, a green oasis where countless cultural activities and landscaping can be found, including the famous Cloud Gate, nicknamed The Bean. Afterwards, we will view the impressive skyscrapers and history of Chicago from the water during an Architecture Cruise and the stomachs will be well filled through a Chicago Food Tour. Afterwards, the group hangs in a sloping glass viewpoint at a height of 300 meters above the city in the John Hancock Center and enjoys blues at Legends, run by the Grammy-winning blues legend Buddy Guy. The Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute of Chicago, one of the world’s leading art museums, can also count on a visit from the winners. ‘What a surprisingly nice city Chicago is. No crowds of tourists, friendly locals and very clean and cared for. If you like architecture, then this is the city to visit during a trip through America’, says Freek Sikkema of De Reis Expert.

Jewelry in Michigan

Via Warren Dunes State Park, a stop will be made in the seaside town of St. Joseph, also known as ‘the Riviera of the Midwest’. Here, you can take a dip in the cool, clear waters of Lake Michigan, explore the towering sand dunes, and take in the scenic shoreline lined with lighthouses.

The lively university town of Ann Arbor is also visited. This city is home to the University of Michigan and is known for its excellent educational institutions, eclectic bookstores, and a wide range of cultural events. The town also offers a variety of outdoor activities, including kayaking on the Huron River and walking through the special gardens and ecosystems of Nichols Arboretum, affectionately known as ‘The Arb’. Ann Arbor is also home to the largest stadium in the United States, Michigan Stadium, where the winners feast their eyes. With a capacity of 115,000 visitors, this impressive stadium rightly deserves the nickname ‘The Big House’. Before the journey continues to the final destination, Detroit, the winners will visit the Michigan Firehouse Museum, a restored 1898 fire station.

Iconic Detroit

Detroit, Michigan’s largest city and bordering Canada, is one big surprise for everyone in the group. The grim picture of the supposedly high crime rate disappears like snow in the sun when we are introduced to the pleasant, industrial and cultural charm of the city. Declared a UNESCO City of Design, Detroit can be seen as a resurrected city after a bankruptcy in 2013. On the day of our departure, one of Detroit’s most iconic buildings opened after an extensive renovation, Michigan Central Station. During a walking and cycling tour we explore the raw beauty, the street art and the photogenic inhabitants of the city. In addition, the group will visit the Detroit Institute of Arts, which houses one of the most important art collections in the U.S. with works by great masters.

‘Don’t worry, everything will be fine’

The city, once the heart of the American automobile industry and known as ‘Motor City’, has as its major attraction the Henry Ford Museum, which is also on the program. It also offers a dynamic arts and music scene with the headquarters of Motown Records, where the winners explore the legendary studio used by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. The trip ends with a visit to the huge Ford River Rouge complex, where a car rolls out of the factory every minute, the spacious Henry Ford Museum and the adjacent open-air museum Greenfield Village, where you can imagine yourself in a setting from America’s past.

Detroit is transforming and becoming more and more trendy, with trendy restaurants and bars popping up like mushrooms. Lucienne Litjens-Weijs of Reiscreaties is pleasantly surprised by Detroit. ‘I was expecting a big, dirty and busy city. Detroit is certainly big, but everything is spacious, clean, green, not too busy and there is a good atmosphere. I have been more overrun in many major European cities than I am here. I won’t immediately recommend it as a city trip, like Chicago, for example, but if you’re traveling around the Midwest by car or camper, Detroit is definitely recommended.’

Eat Your Way Through the USA

During the winner’s trip, culinary enjoyment was high on the agenda. From tasty street food with deep-fried pizza, Italian beef and (Coney) hot dogs to gastronomic delights at wineries. The stomachs were spoiled daily with the most diverse dishes, from early in the morning until late at night. This tastes like more, literally and figuratively.

Potential & Prospects

“The Midwest is welcoming, friendly, and not yet discovered by the masses. You will be invited to your home in no time. It is all smaller and more authentic than the well-known cities such as New York, Miami or Los Angeles. International tourism is still in its infancy, but it offers so much potential’, says In het Veld-Oling of Brand USA. ‘For people who want to avoid the real crowds, but still want to experience the big-city vibes, Chicago and Detroit are highly recommended. In addition, the Midwest has a pleasant climate with relatively cool winters and warm summers, but many times less hot than cities in, for example, Texas, Florida or California.’ Freek Sikkema, personal travel advisor at De Reis Expert, knows well who he can offer the region to and knows how to get a first booking during the trip. The charm of Chicago, the versatility of Michigan, and Icelandair’s extensive network make the Midwest a promising destination. The upcoming IPW inbound tourism trade shows to the United States, which will take place in Chicago in 2025 and in Detroit in 2028, strengthen the region’s position as a leading global travel destination. The Midwest is ready to welcome you and show you the diversity of the region, so feel and be welcome!

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