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| Stephanie Mack, Hermitage Bay; Jessica Alfaro, Valerie Wilson Travel; and Carole-Anne Hughs, Valerie Wilson Travel at YLC 2013 |
The fifth annual Young Travel Leaders Conference (YTLC), produced by Questex Hospitality + Travel, will be held December 8 at The Palazzo Las Vegas in conjunction with Luxury Travel Exchange International (LTX).
The Young Travel Leaders Conference, formerly the Young Leaders Conference, has been rebranded with a new name and enhanced benefits to underscore the significance of millennial professionals in travel.
Presented by Luxury Travel Advisor and Travel Agent magazines, YTLC is the first and only industrywide forum created exclusively for young travel professionals including travel agency owners, consultants, suppliers and industry partners, who participate in peer-to-peer networking, education, career development and information-sharing.
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“YTLC continues to be the best show in the industry for young leaders who are establishing themselves in the industry and those who are growing their brands,” said Joe Pike, co-host. “We continue to find cool, innovative ways to make the event compelling and relevant. Even if you attended last year, you still will be wowed this year.”
Samantha Erickson, YTLC co-host, said research shows peer-to-peer networking was the number-one reason cited for YTLC attendance in 2013. Also, 100 percent of participants said the event exceeded their expectations, while 98 percent characterized it as a “valuable investment of time and capital” that they would recommend to a friend or business associate.
All YTLC participants will receive complimentary admission to LTX, December 9-11 at The Palazzo Las Vegas. The successful 2013 LTX program hosted more than 5,000 one-to-one meetings among 900 professional travel advisors of luxury and premium niche travel and 300 leading travel suppliers. Eighty percent of YTLC attendees attended LTX last year.
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2014 YTLC program enhancements include the launch of a new logo and refreshed website, YoungTravelLeaders.com/Conference. The site will serve as the source of all conference updates and feature relevant news designed exclusively for millennial travel advisors as well as benefits offered to members of the Young Travel Leaders Alliance (YTLA), with which YTLC will be aligned.
“The Young Travel Leaders Conference is the leading event for millennial travel professionals,” said Erickson. “The event’s interactive networking and relevant educational programming is guided by a steering committee of the travel industry’s brightest young leaders including front-line travel advisors as well as owners and managers with agencies that represent major travel consortia.”
Advisors – more than half of whom have been in the industry for fewer than five years – booked an average of $870,000 in business last year, according to Erickson.
YTLA recently was created by Travel Agent and Luxury Travel Advisor magazines as a resource for young-at-heart travel advisors. YTLA is composed of rising stars within travel organizations who have been recognized for their accomplishments. This group will provide insights to the industry from a young professional's perspective. YTLA will leverage two successful networking groups: Hotel Management magazine’s Young Professionals (HMYP) and Travel Agent Magazine's 30 Under 30.
For more information, visit YoungTravelLeaders.com/Conference or Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.