Destination marketing company Connect Travel has unveiled a new leisure travel trade event which will debut next year in Orlando.
Connect Travel Marketplace comes to Hyatt Regency Orlando on February 18-20 and will feature educational programs and prescheduled one-on-one appointments for attendees to facilitate business connections.
Heading up event preparations is Shari Bailey, who has been appointed director, international for Connect.
Bailey joins from VISIT FLORIDA where she served most recently as director of global sales and market development.
She also worked in international business development for Visit Tampa Bay and Sea World and now teams up again with former VISIT FLORIDA CEO Will Seccombe.
"This is a unique opportunity to launch a new event that creates and adds real value to our partners. The timing is right for international tour operators to develop new leisure travel product, and we are expecting a great turnout of top operators from the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and China, among others," Bailey said.
The new show has already been endorsed by a number of major destination marketing btrands and tour operators.
"We are looking forward to attending the new Connect Travel Marketplace," said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company.
"Connect has an excellent reputation and a proven track record for producing quality events that focus on providing the best ROI for all involved."
Connect Travel is the leisure tourism division of Connect and helps connect destination marketers with products and services in their target markets. Connect also produces digital programs, mobile solutions and trade publications as well as organizing international, regional and niche events for the tourism industry.
