Questex Travel Group’s Travel Industry Exchange event opened yesterday in San Diego, California at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, 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, destinations, and social media and branding.
John McMahon, Questex Travel Group executive vice president, said specialization is “the next great wave of opportunity” for travel professionals, based on the company’s research and consumer trends and feedback. Countless websites and metadata search engines, he said, put travel planning at consumers’ fingertips, precluding agents from making a living simply by booking hotel and flights.
“Specialization allows travel professionals to focus their efforts and gain intimate knowledge and expertise that will make them invaluable partners to clients looking for authentic experiences,” said McMahon.
The event kicked off with an informal networking reception for all attending agents called “Birds of a Feather Flock Together,” in an effort to help like-minded agents who specialize, share best practices, and get to know one another.
Clayton Reid, president and CEO of MMGY Global, presented the keynote address “Up, Up and Away into 2017...What the Next Year(s) Ahead Offer as the Traveler Becomes More Defined, More Mobile, and More Interesting,” a timely and relevant report for the coming year in travel trends, with a focus on luxury travel.
Specialization sessions will continue throughout Wednesday and Thursday, with one-to-one meetings between agents and exhibiting suppliers taking place in between on the Exchange (expo) floor.
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, cruise lines, tour operators, transportation providers, technology companies, spas and resorts. 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 or to register, visit www.travelindustryexchange.com.