Questex Hospitality + Travel, a multinational media, event and e-commerce company serving the global hospitality and travel industry, is set to kick off its fourth annual Hawaii Travel Exchange from December 1-4 at the Kauai Marriott Resort in Hawaii.
The exclusive, invitation-only program, presented by Travel Agent and Luxury Travel Advisor magazines along with partner Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, will bring together top-producing travel advisors from across North America on a fully hosted basis.
Roughly 150 agents were on hand for last year's event hosted at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
"The best part about this show is just being able to meet all of this people in one shot," said Gary Marrow, tour operator for KapohoKine Adventures in Hilo, during last year's event. "I could have never met with all of these agents from all over the country. So, the networking is definitely the best part of the show for me."
Advisors will have the opportunity to meet with suppliers representing a range of Hawaii- focused vacation products during prescheduled one-to-one meetings, exclusive networking opportunities, on-site property inspections and educational sessions.
"It's one thing to read about a destination, to hear about a destination, but its another thing to see it," said Tony Salamone, owner of Tony Salamone Travel Co. in Chicago, at last year's event. "Every year, I learn something new. The show is very efficient. It's great to see lot of familiar faces and to meet some new agents as well. You need to stay on top of all the current offerings to be able to effectively sell the destination. And that's one of the main things that this show offers to agents."
Travel advisors were selected based on a review of their transactions and volume of business booked, categories of bookings, specialization and other criteria. Hawaiian suppliers in attendance will represent the entire state including each of the island chapters, hotels and resorts, spas, cruise lines, tour operators, transportation companies, attractions, activities and airlines.