Questex Travel Group today announced that its next Travel Industry Exchange event will be held October 12-14, 2017, at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The second annual event came to a successful close December 15 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront in San Diego, California, underscoring the value to travel professionals of becoming more niche-focused.
The innovative event’s over 50 sessions focused on revenue-generating niche segments, including certification programs in luxury, cruise, romance and family travel, as well as concentrated educational programming in millennial travel, and social media and branding.
Hope Smith, Born to Travel; Anastasia Mann, Corniche; Melissa Porzak, Protravel International; and Andrea Ross, Journeys Within spoke on the luxury track about the art of selling up. |
John McMahon, Questex Travel Group executive vice president, said specialization is “a major business driver” that represents the next “great wave of opportunity” for travel professionals, based on the company’s research and consumer trends and feedback.
“The positive feedback we received from both travel professionals and global suppliers has been tremendous,” he said. “Attendees were able to really immerse themselves in these segments and learn how to match the right customer to the right vacation within their specialty, ensuring incremental growth from potential clients they may not have considered in the past.”
Suppliers surveyed on site expressed serious interest in returning next year, describing the event as well “worth the investment” and attributing its success to their one-to-one meetings with pre-qualified agents, a pillar of the brand, and staple that will continue into next year’s show. Suppliers this year included destinations, hoteliers, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators, transportation providers, and technology companies from around the world.
Miste Wright of Protravel, Bob Romano of Fugazi Travel and Jill Romano of Dimensions in Travel spoke on the luxury track about managing your mindset to sell luxury travel. |
Suppliers who participated in the 2016 show are being offered a special discounted loyalty rate for next year’s New Orleans event if they secure their place by December 31, 2016, McMahon said.
The event is supported by seven industry associations including the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA), Africa Travel Association (ATA), Caribbean Tourism Association (CTA), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA), Family Travel Association, and the PATA San Diego & SoCal Chapters.
Sponsors included AMResorts, Apple Vacations, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Dominican Republic Tourism Board, GoGo/Worldwide Travel, Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau, India Tourism, Kimpton Hotels San Diego, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Nevada Tourism, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, St. Martin Tourism Board, Tourism Australia, Tourism Fiji, Viking Cruises.
Travel Industry Exchange brings travel professionals and lifestyle specialists together with international suppliers, including destinations, hoteliers, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators, transportation providers, and technology companies. The event includes over seven hours of one-to-one meetings, comprehensive education including agent specialty training and networking events and receptions. For more information visit www.travelindustryexchange.com.