Dual
Honeymoon & Home Based Trade Shows
Ahead Sharply for Travel
Agent Registrations and Booth
Sales Pleasanton, CA,:
Travel agent registration is up by 20% and
supplier booth sales by 50% over the same
period last year for the 2nd annual
Honeymoon & Romantic Getaways Show and
Conference scheduled for October 29 &
30 in Long Beach, CA. These increases were
reported this week by Charles "Chip"
Caruso, President of Travel Industry Shows
(TIS), which is rolling out the first-ever
trade show and conference for home based
travel agents on the same dates and at the
same venue. Caruso said that
"these significant gains reflect the
travel industry's growing regard for the
importance of the honeymoon/romantic
getaways market, as well as the powerful
showing in recent years of the home based
community in the travel agency
distribution system." He added that
"travel agents and suppliers are
signing-up from coast-to-coast and Canada
in record numbers in recognition of the
sales and marketing opportunities offered
by these creative niche tradeshows and
conferences." The combined
tradeshow hours on Friday and Saturday at
the Long Beach Convention Center will
allow travel agents to network one-on-one
with quality exhibitors representing tour
operators, cruise lines, hotels/resorts,
airlines, ground transportation,
destinations, travel insurance,
technology, gift registry's and
others. In addition to the
tradeshows, the weekend also highlights a
series of educational programs, with
seminars and panels dedicated to the
latest sales opportunities within both
honeymoon and home-based tracks, as well
as the chance for the delegates to earn
accreditation from both the Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA) and The
Travel Institute. Another major
event is the Saturday morning General
Session with four widely recognized
keynote speakers including, Jeff Drew,
senior vice president of Oceania Cruises,
Lisa Bauer, senior vice president sales,
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Gary Sain,
chief marketing officer and partner of
Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell
and Gary Fee, president and founder of the
Outside Sales Support Network
(OSSN). Travel agents will
also be able to participate in such
activities as sponsored meal functions,
big-ticket prize drawings, and post-show
sailing on the Radisson Seven Seas Mariner
at a discounted cost, on a first-come
basis. Other post-conference cruises
by Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise
lines are sold out. Among the
function sponsors are the Las Vegas
Convention and Visitors Authority, Sandals
and Beaches Resorts and Windstar
Cruises. Major supporters of
these events include the Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA), the
United States Tour Operators Association
(USTOA), Recommend magazine, ModernAgent,
TRAVELSAVERS, the Caribbean Tourism
Organization (CTO), the Pacific Asia
Travel Association (PATA), Global Travel
International (GTI), Tours.com,
theknot.com and Bridal Guide with The
Travel Institute as an Educational
Partner. The Outside Sales Support
Network (OSSN) is a partner in the Home
Based Agent Show. The Long Beach,
California area is accessible via three
major airports: Long Beach, Los Angeles
International and John Wayne
International. There are a number of
airlines with service to these areas that
offer discounted rates. Avis is also
offering discounted car rental rate to
participants. The TIS Team offers
over 60 years combined experience in
producing effective tradeshows. Most
notably are the successful CruiseTour
World '03 and '04 events and the Bay Area
Travel Show (a consumer event with travel
agent trade element). The Honeymoon
& Romantic Getaways Show and
Conference and Home Based Agent Show was
designed to bring together the honeymoon,
wedding, home-based travel agent markets
and other products and services offering
synergies with travel agents to help them
better sell these types of leisure
vacations and maximize their earning
potential. For more information
visit www.honeymoonshow.com or
www.homebasedagentshow.com or by calling
925-249-2233 and pressing 0. Travel
agents can register two agents for $49.00
until August 31st, then the rate increases
to $49.00 per agent. Discounts apply
to sponsoring association or consortium
travel agent members.
.
For further information and details
contact the FAATIS office on (+ 44) 0207 820 3660 or email on info@faatis.com