Questex Travel Group, organizers of the original specialization event Travel Industry Exchange, have announced it will change its program from an expo to a fully hosted buyer format and destination focused conference. Travel Industry Exchange will be held October 12-14, 2017 at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.
After surveying the audience from the previous two iterations of Travel Industry Exchange, organizers refitted the event to make it more valuable for agents and suppliers alike, while still keeping with the specialization theme.
While destinations will be the focus of the conference, suppliers from all sectors of travel are encouraged to participate in order to benefit from the multiple networking opportunities including up to 35 pre-scheduled, one-to-one appointments, inclusion on a session panel, and multiple meals and receptions.
Agents interested in attending will complete a thorough application that will be reviewed by the attendee acquisition committee to ensure eligibility, said John McMahon, Questex Travel Group executive vice president. Only qualified agents will be accepted as hosted buyers and entered into the selection process for the one-to-one appointments. Suppliers will then have the opportunity to review all the agent profiles in an effort to schedule their appointments with those most relevant to their businesses.
“The one-to-one appointments combined with inclusion on a panel during a session will offer suppliers at least nine hours of dedicated face time with agents,” said McMahon. “No other competitive event can really offer that kind of networking, especially when you include all the mandatory meals and receptions that everyone enjoys together.”
Travel Industry Exchange brings travel professionals together with global suppliers, including destinations, hoteliers, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators, transportation providers, and technology companies. The event includes up to 35 one-to-one meetings, comprehensive education, and networking events and receptions. For more information visit www.travelindustryexchange.com.