Travel Show Marketing Group’s 14th Annual Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum received rave reviews from both Travel Suppliers and Agents in attendance. The 2024 event was a sell out and the largest yet for TravelSMG with participation from nearly 1,000 Agents and over 350 Supplier partners. Registration for the 2025 show, taking place March 30 - April 2, 2025 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is now open.

 

The 2024 conference provided opportunities for Travel Suppliers from around the globe and U.S.-based Travel Advisors to connect through 1:1 appointments, roundtable discussions, educational training seminars and numerous networking events. In an effort to continually enhance the program offerings and ROI for those attending, a Breakfast Showcase was added to the agenda on the last day of the event, allowing 10 Supplier Partners the opportunity to present a fast-paced, deep dive into their destination and/or product offering to the 112 Travel Agent SELECT Hosted Buyers.

 

“Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum continues to be one of the largest and best industry events for connecting Travel Agents at every level of their career with a diverse group of Travel Suppliers from around the globe, “ said Jim Cloonan, President at TravelSMG. He went on to say, “Over the past 15 years the show has significantly grown and evolved, we are excited for the next edition and making it even better.”

 

Additionally, the agenda provided three separate tracks for Agents including: Sales & Marketing, Agency & Agent Strategies and Niche & Product Development.  Each track provided Agents the opportunity to gain impactful insights from industry experts, destinations, technology services, top travel brands, DMCs, hotels/resorts and more.

 

Travefy’s Agent Accelerator Program once again kicked off the event with a 3-part seminar that inspired and equipped Agents with leading marketing and sales best practices alongside actionable tips on marketing strategies.

 

The Discover Destinations Series training seminars gave Agents an in-depth look at amazing locations thanks to ItaliAbsolutely, Chameleon Travel Shop, Visit Anchorage, The Hawaiian Islands and other participating destination partners. And the Discover Product Series training seminars provided Agents the opportunity to learn more about travel industry product offerings from Viator, Tern, VAX VacationAccess, and GRNConnect.

 

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority hosted all attendees at the newly opened Atomic Golf on the opening evening of the show (3 days after its Grand Opening). The lively networking event included food, fun, and a few swings of the golf clubs.  For the final evening, Caesars Entertainment hosted a poolside reception at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel with dinner and drinks while Suppliers and Agents mingled.

 

During the event, TravelSMG unveiled its new branding across the full suite of events. The new brand identity can be seen on the website at www.TravelSMG.com.

 

Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, recently concluded with strong optimism for a surge in business engagement.  Produced by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market, this exclusive event was held at the Secrets Playa Blanca resort in Costa Mujeres, Mexico from May  6 – 10.  The 2024 edition once again sold out and featured over 86 Travel Suppliers and 175 Travel Advisors from the romance niche.

 

“We are honored that our Romance Travel Forum continues to serve as the industry’s most trusted event for generating prospects and revenue within the romance niche.  Our ongoing objective is to recognize the most exceptional Travel Sellers in the industry, enabling our Supplier Partners to connect with influential Advisors who significantly contribute to sales outcomes,” said Jennifer Fernandez, Senior VP, Events & Content at TravelSMG.

 

Romance Travel Forum is a bespoke program with exclusive participation opportunities. This year TravelSMG welcomed 175 Travel Advisors, hand-selected from  hundreds of applications. These Travel Sellers collectively represent more than $200 Million in annual bookings along with significant leisure group business opportunities within the destination wedding group arena and beyond.  In order to attend the event, each Travel Advisor took part in a thorough screening process -  consisting of an interview, professional reference check, and detailed application.

 

The 86 Travel Supplier Partners included an impressive array of all-inclusive hotel brands, boutique hotels, tour operators,  destinations, destination management companies, and other key services vital to today’s Romance Travel Seller.  On top of a strong Supplier participation from the Caribbean and Mexico, the event welcomed Partners from across the globe.

 

On the Showcase Floor Travel Advisors and Suppliers participated in one-to-one meetings, accounting for more than 4,000 unique connections.  These connections are critical to forming a strong business relationship. The array of networking experiences and presentations offered increased marketing visibility for brands to maximize their presence.

 

In addition, Travel Advisors took part in a robust offering of educational destination and product programming with featured sponsors including: Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt, Amstar DMC, The Hawaiian Islands, Casa de Campo, Sandals, Hilton All-Inclusive, RIU Hotels & Resorts, and Lomas Hospitality.

 

Beyond products and destinations, Travel Advisors took part in a series of Peer-to-Peer discussions focused on their business with a spotlight on sales and marketing, partner collaboration, group management, efficient back-office strategies, and more.

 

Travel Advisors were also treated to familiarization experiences at area resorts through pre and post FAM itineraries, and a series of site inspections throughout the region.  This year also included a charitable partnership with Te-Amo for TravelSMG’s annual Give Back Program.  Throughout the Forum donations were collected for a local Mayan Village.

 

Information and dates for the 12th annual event  will be available in the coming month.

  Our 2023 European Travel Agent Forum was a success!  Senigallia truly gave us a warm welcome, and we could tell how much pride they have in their region.   The TravelSMG team first traveled into Rome to meet up and try to shake off the jet lag.  We walked the city streets, enjoyed some good food … and before we knew it it was the next day and we made our way into Senigallia.  We did stop along the way at Todini Winery for a tour and a tasting.  This stop was exactly what we needed!     Before we knew it we were at our home for the next few days – beautiful Senigallia.  Senigallia is a seaside town in the Marche region of Italy overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Landmarks of the city include the Rocca Roveresca, the Palazzo Ducale and the Rotonda a Mare. The city is surrounded by ancient villages and fascinating landscapes and offers the opportunity to taste the flavors and traditions of local gastronomy.     TravelSMG work continued the next morning when we met up with the Senigallia team to ensure the Rotonda and Finis Africae were set up and ready for the event itself.   Setup continued on Sunday 11/12 with the final touches being put into place before registration opened up at noon.  We were so excited to welcome our Delegates and our Supplier Partners.  After registration wrapped up it was then time to head to Foro Annonario for the official welcome reception.     Everyone was treated to a wine tasting from the Marche region plus incredible food.  And to top it all off, cultural association L’esteticaw Dell’effimero (The Aesthetics of the Ephemeral) performed a beautiful historical dance reenactment in authentic Italian dress of the time.     The next morning the event officially kicked off at the Rotonda a Mare with our Welcome Session.  We were joined by Senigallia Mayor Massimo Olivetti who welcomed us warmly.   The Delegates then separated into their 2 groups.  One group headed over to Finis Africae for One-to-One Meetings.  The other group stayed at the Rotunda for the start of the educational presentations.  Inside Marche Live gave everyone an in-depth look at the Marche Region.  From historical tours to amazing caves – the Marche region offers something for every type of traveler.   After our immersion into the Marche region we were then transported to Croatia by Zvonimir Androic (“Z”) from Via Croatia.  Via Croatia is a full-service luxury DMC that works exclusively with travel agents.  Delegates not only learned about the beautiful area, but also more about the itineraries and boat charters through Via Croatia.     For the afternoon both Delegate Groups swapped places.  One group hopped on a bus and headed back to the Rotunda to take part in the Inside Marche Live and Via Croatia presentations.  And, the other half made the journey over to Finis Africae for their first one-to-one meetings.   What are one-to-one meetings?  They are the backbone of our smaller niche events and portfolio.  Forming these relationships is crucial to both parties in having a successful career in the travel industry. These are mutual interest meetings where Suppliers can talk personally with the Advisors who will be selling their product.  And Advisors can ask questions directly to the Supplier – giving them a greater confidence to sell that product to their client base.     The evening wrapped up with dinner (and more amazing wines!) at the beautiful TreCastelli Resort. We were treated to more cultural immersion with drumming and flag performances by Sbandieratori Tamburi Araba Fenice.     The next morning the 2 delegate groups were again split for the day.  One group started the day off with another round of educational sessions.  Archy from Globus Brands taught us about the company’s full offering.  And Touring Balkan taught us how to travel like locals across the Balkan region.  The other group during this morning timeframe enjoyed another round of one-to-one-meetings.  And after lunch – you guessed it – the delegate groups swapped places again.     Hard to imagine our time in Senigallia was coming to a close.  Our last evening reception gala was at Cantina Langelina. Not only did we watch pasta being made before dinner but after dinner there was live music and a little dancing.  Everyone who helped bring this event to Senigallia spoke briefly about the event and its importance.  And, things ended with a bang with a sparkler filled cake cutting and fireworks.  An unforgettable experience for everyone involved.     And just like that, the European Travel Agent Forum came to an end.  But rest assured core memories were made.  Friendships were forged.  Partnerships were developed.  It was our most successful ETAF event yet.  We can’t wait to start planning for next year!  

  Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG) an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market has given an update on the confirmed dates and locations for 2024 events.   Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, will be at the new Secrets Playa Blanca resort in Costa Mujeres, Mexico from May 6 – 9, 2024. This will be the 11th annual Romance Travel Forum for TravelSMG.   Romance Travel Forum is a boutique-sized program offering exclusive participation opportunities alongside an intimate & collaborative atmosphere conducive to both networking & incredible experiences. Each Travel Advisor in attendance will take part in a stringent review process consisting of a written application, phone interview, and professional reference check. Applications for next year’s forum are now open at: www.romancetravelforum.com/. Supplier Partners interested in attending the event can also submit interest online.   In addition to the Romance Travel Forum event announcement, TravelSMG would also like to confirm that their flagship event, the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum will be taking place March 24 - 27, 2024 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. This event caters to Travel Advisors at every stage of their career and serves as an incredible opportunity to meet with over 300 of the industry’s top suppliers.   “We are excited to offer a robust portfolio of events that individually and collectively represent significant opportunities to the North American Travel Agent community and the global travel suppliers that prioritize this important channel. While our spring events are two of the strongest programs in the industry (LVTAF and RTF), we are continuously evolving to better support the professional development and profitability of Travel Agents and the seller/supplier partnership,” said Jim Cloonan, President & CEO of TravelSMG.   The Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum continues to be TravelSMG’s largest and most attended event. It offers a one-stop shop trade show floor and educational conference programs on top of exclusive networking events. Those interested in attending can find more information and register at: www.travelagentforum.com/   Information and updates about future 2024 events will be released in the upcoming months.

  Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, recently concluded with outstanding reviews, and strong optimism for increased business amongst participants.  Produced by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market, this exclusive event was held at the Secrets Moxché Playa Del Carmen resort in Mexico from June  25 – 29.  The sold-out 2023 edition was extra special as it was a celebration of 10 Years of the Forum.   “Romance Travel Forum continues to thrive as the industry’s most trusted event for driving leads and business within the romance vacation market.  It remains our goal to identify the industry’s best and brightest travel sellers, allowing our supplier partners to engage with key players that are critical in generating sales results,” said Jennifer Fernandez, Senior VP, Events & Content at TravelSMG.   Romance Travel Forum is a boutique-sized program offering limited participation opportunities.  Each Travel Advisor in attendance took part in a stringent review process consisting of a written application, phone interview, and professional reference check. This year’s event welcomed 175 hand-selected Travel Sellers who collectively represented more than $200 Million in annual bookings across diverse agency business models.   “We are grateful for the opportunity to connect and engage with industry leaders and experts in the romance segment during one of the most respected industry events, the Romance Travel Forum. This influential event represents an unmatched opportunity to introduce the newest, most luxurious, Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt properties – Impression Moxché by Secrets and Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen,” said Mark Benson, Associate Vice President Sales & Strategy.   Romance Travel Forum featured 83 Travel Supplier Partners, including an impressive array of all-inclusive hotel brands, boutique hotel properties, wholesalers, destinations, destination management companies, and other key services vital to today’s Romance Travel Seller.  On top of a strong Supplier participation from the Caribbean and Mexico, the event welcomed Partners from across the globe.   On the Showcase Floor Travel Advisors and Suppliers participated in one-on-one meetings, accounting for more than 4,000 unique connections.  The array of networking experiences offered built-in marketing visibility for Suppliers to maximize their brands’ presence.   In addition, Travel Advisors took part in a robust offering of educational destination and product programming with featured sponsors including: Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt, Amstar DMC, Bahamas Tourist Board, Casa de Campo, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Palace Resorts, RIU Hotels & Resorts, and Saint Lucia Tourist Authority.   Beyond products and destinations, Travel Advisors took part in the event’s Welcome Session with a special WedTalks Ideas Worth Loving feature, offering inspiring stories from successful Travel Advisors; a panel discussion focused on new trends and booking habits, and a series of Peer-to-Peer discussions.   Travel Advisors were also treated to familiarization experiences at area resorts through pre and post FAM itineraries, and a series of site inspections throughout the region.  This year also included a charitable partnership with Te-Amo for TravelSMG’s annual Give Back Program.  Throughout the Forum donations were collected for a local Mayan Village. Information and dates for the 11th annual program will be available in the coming weeks.

  Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG) an independent organization dedicated to the B2B leisure vacation market has successfully completed the third edition of the European Travel Agent Forum. The event, which took place November 14 – 17 at The Savoy Palace on Madeira Island, Portugal is designed to engage European destinations and travel providers with a select audience of North American travel advisors recognized for their European travel sales production.   “Travel is back and demand for European adventures continue to grow. This year’s European Travel Agent Forum came at a critical time, where the industry is heading from survival to revival. The value travel advisors represent far exceed building consumer awareness, travel advisors are now also an extension to the the international tourism community. That was incredibly evident this past week and we were thrilled to have the best and brightest with us in Madeira”, Jim Cloonan, president, TravelSMG.   The European Travel Agent Forum was attended by 150 North American leisure travel advisors that were carefully vetted through a stringent qualification process and hosted for participation. Travel advisors in attendance collectively represented over $200 Million (USD) in annual bookings, with 65% of their individual bookings focused on Europe. Key segments to their included special interest tours, luxury and cultural experiences, and leisure groups to name a few. The Forum was supported by nearly 70 European destinations and travel providers that offer commission to the North American travel advisor community. The Supplier Showcase offered delegates to meet during mutual interest one-to-one meetings, facilitating more than 3,000 formal meetings throughout the event. Travel advisors also took part in sessions designed for destination and product awareness and a full agenda of networking (both peer and partner) along with unique in-destination experiences.   “It has been one week since the third annual European Travel Agent Forum and our team is truly grateful for the experience.  Through thoughtful collaboration with the TravelSMG team, travel advisors were able to experience the diversity and beauty of the Madeira Islands.  As an event exhibitor and sponsor these efforts were complimented with formal presentations and mutual interest one-to-one meetings which have already proven to be impactful for future bookings”, said Sara Olim Marote, Executive Director, Madeira Promotion Board.   Travel advisors were treated to unique activities in Madeira and other locations, including, jeep and wine torus, canyoning, coasteering, mountain biking, hiking, garden tours, sea life observations, vineyard and gastronomic experiences and many other experiences offered by local partners. Additionally, travel advisors and suppliers were treated to exciting evening events at Design Centre Nini de Andrade and the iconic Reid’s Palace, a Belmond Hotel.   In addition to the Madeira Promotion Board, event sponsors included: The Savoy Palace, a Leading Hotels of the World; Windsor Travel Group DMC, Azores Promotion Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Algarve Portugal, Sagres Vacations, AMR Collection, Eating Europe and TAP Air Portugal.