BOSTON, MA – As part of the 2009 Boston Globe Travel Show on February 20-22, 2009, a full day of seminars and presentations will be offered for travel professionals who wish to increase their skills and earning potential. The 2009 Travel Industry Conference and Trade Day will be held on Friday, February 20 in conjunction with the opening of the 4th Boston Globe Travel Show, New England’s largest and most comprehensive travel expo.
More than 350 travel-industry professionals are expected to attend the conference, which takes place from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm at Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center. The conference offers a host of useful seminars and workshops conducted by industry experts who understand the challenges of the current economic climate. The conference is split into three concurrent tracks focusing on product, marketing, and sales training seminars, including:
• Travel Marketing 301 – presented by Scott Koepf, president of the National Association of Career Travel Agents
• Selling More Cruises – moderated by David Crooks, vice president of cruise product & industry relations for World Travel Holdings. Panel participants include Kathy Hall, business development director for Norweigan Cruise Lines; Todd Satterlee, business development director for Carnival Cruise Lines; and Marc Leventhal, regional sales manager for Hurtigruten
• CLIA: Understanding Groups – presented by Bernie Blomquist of Cruise Lines International Association
• Communicate Your Unique Selling Proposition – presented by Bob Stalbaum, president, Strategies for Success Management Consulting Services
• Destination Training Workshop: Alberta – gain Alberta Specialist Certification in this course taught by Monique Morrison of Travel Alberta and Seth Downs, director of sales for Anderson Vacations
• Finding Top Value, Green and Luxury Destinations in the New England Drive Market – presented by the Society of American Travel Writers
• Choosing a Niche and Why – a panel discussion moderated by Kate Rice, executive editor of Performance Media Group and featuring Sandy McDowell, president of Specialty Travel Agents Association; John T. Peters, president & CEO of Tripology; and Elyse Reilly, sales manager for Uniworld River Cruise
• Selling More Tours – a panel discussion moderated by Robert Weiss, publisher of Travel New England and featuring Larry McCarthy, director of national accounts for Globus
• Marketing Your Travel Agency in a Web 2.0 World – featuring Max Hartshorne, editor of GoNomad.com
• Selling More All-Inclusive Resorts – featuring Aracely Sansone, vice president of marketing; and Cynthia Powell, director of operations for Divi & Tamarijn Aruba all-inclusives; and Alice McCalla, regional director of sales for Sandals and Beaches Resorts
A full schedule and description of the seminars can be found at www.bostonglobetravelshow.com/conference_schedule.htm , with more speakers being added. The Conference is free to attend, but pre-registration is recommended at: www.bostonglobetravelshow.com/trade_registration.html .
More than just a show, The Boston Globe Travel Show is a total travel experience. The three-day event features a diverse set of travel exhibitors and suppliers representing every segment of the travel industry and offers detailed information on trips to every region of the world. Travel experts including Arthur and Pauline Frommer and Patricia Schultz will offer seminars and up-to-the-minute travel advice. Attendees can watch and participate in live cultural performances, children’s activities, culinary demonstrations, and much more.
In 2008, the 3rd Annual Boston Globe Travel Show drew more than 17,000 attendees and 250 exhibitors, a 47 percent increase over the previous year. More than US$2 million of travel business was booked at the show in 2008.
Lead sponsors for the 2009 show are Aruba Tourism Authority; The Worlds of Discovery (including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, Water Country USA, Discovery Cove, Sesame Place, and Aquatica); Hunt’s Photo and Video; and Vacation Outlet.
The Travel Show will be open to the public on Friday, February 20 from 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm; Saturday, February 21 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm; and on Sunday, February 22 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Tickets for the show are US$10 and are available at the show or in advance at www.bostonglobetravelshow.com . Children 18 and under are admitted free of charge.
For more information about exhibiting at the 2008 Boston Globe Travel Show, contact Liesl Robinson at 203-622-6666.
Banyere Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is wholly owned by The New York Times Company, a leading media company with 2007 revenues of US$3.2 billion, including The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 16 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM, and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com , Boston.com , and About.com. The company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting, and distributing high-quality news, information, and entertainment.
