Signature Travel Network reports the opening of its annual three-day Sales Meeting & Trade Show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas today. The meeting includes a record total of over 2,100 attendees including over 1,200 Signature travel consultants who represent 90 percent of Signature’s member agencies. Also attending are over 800 preferred supplier partners, including cruise lines, land and tour suppliers, destination specialists, tourism boards, hotels and resorts, and specialty suppliers.
Alex Sharpe, Signature president, said, “With the remarkable turnout of members and preferred suppliers, we are thrilled to celebrate recent accomplishments as an organization, and we look forward to discussing plans for continued success in 2014.”
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Signature said there will be over 450 booths at Saturday’s trade show and a record number of 68 seminar sessions across the three days, including luxury supplier sales seminars, sales workshops, CRM and marketing workshops, as well as destination and technology-focused workshops.
This year’s keynote speaker is Shawn Achor, the author of the international bestseller, The Happiness Advantage.
Signature also reports the introduction of Signature’s Young Advisors Community (YAC). This new network of young travel consultants under the age of 40 is exclusive to young Signature members, Signature said. Members of the Young Advisors Community will gain special networking events and receptions throughout the conference.
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“Instead of focusing on the organization, Signature focuses on its members; and the members’ desire and demand for a program for the up-and-coming travel generation inspired the Young Advisors Community,” said Sharpe. “Signature’s priority is to provide tools and services, including training opportunities that address the needs of a diverse array of members, advisors and business models. With the development of the Young Advisors Community, we want to create a space for young members to cultivate relationships with other travel professionals and to provide training, best practices, and career development within the travel industry.”
Signature Travel Network is a member-owned travel cooperative, headquartered in Marina del Rey, California,that includes 214 member agencies with 414 retail locations throughout USA and Canada.