This year, international attendees to the THETRADESHOW (Las Vegas, Sept. 13-15) will again be able to take advantage of the International Travel Agent’s Summit, along with educational offerings geared to helping international travel professionals increase their global exposure and make new networking opportunities.
Alexandria, VA – “The International Business Summit is a great way to network with other agents and find new business. Thetradeshow recognizes that we are all potential travel partners, no matter where you are located,” said Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA, a partner of Thetradeshow. “The conference program provides international delegates with the tools they need to increase their U.S. knowledge and business.”
“The International Business Summit is a great way to help international travel professionals find new business and network with other agents and suppliers from around the world. Having a day focused on the international travel market will give everyone an opportunity to focus on building long-standing relationships with international peers as well as networking with U.S.-based suppliers and agents,” said Robert Durant, president of the International Chapter Presidents Council for ASTA, one of THETRADESHOW’s partners.
The three-day event kicks off with the International Travel Agents Summit (Sept. 13, 12pm-1pm), a networking session where international delegates can meet their fellow international travel company attendees. International travel sellers attending the Summit will get the most value out of Thetradeshow by previewing educational and networking events of interest, introducing their companies and starting business relationships to develop throughout the conference, and discussing issues of importance to international travel sellers. Registration for Thetradeshow is required in order to take part in the International Travel Agents Summit.
At Thetradeshow agents will have the chance to enrich their business with a combination of education, sightseeing and networking events centered on the global reach of the travel industry. The exhibition floor offers vital interaction with hundreds of U.S. and international suppliers, enabling agents to secure more business and contacts. To learn more about Thetradeshow and to register, visit www.THETRADESHOW.org.
Among the educational offerings ideal for international travel professionals are:
Sunday, September 13
- Twitter and Your Twavel Business. Presented by Chelle Honiker Yarbrough, CTC. Twitter is the next e-mail. The next Google. The next killer app. Join Chelle Honiker Yarbrough, CTC, for a discussion of Twitter – from the travel perspective. You’ll learn what Twitter is, but more importantly, how it can help you find new customers and sell more travel. (tech pavilion)
Monday, September 14
- How to Grow Your Business by Effectively Selling Yourself. Presented by Mike Marchev People do business with people. This means that you are your company and you define your brand. In this highly entertaining marketing session, seasoned sales professional Mike Marchev will outline a proven method to grow your business by implementing five easy-to-follow steps.
- Blogging for Business: Using Weblogs as Part of Your Company Marketing Plan. Presented by Bryan Alaspa. Today everyone seems to be talking about blogging, but why should you care? A blog, or weblog, is a great way to develop and showcase your expertise in a given area, network with customers, and even turn into an income stream. Join professional writer and blogger, Bryan Alaspa, as he explains what a blog is, how to create one for your company, the kind of articles to write, building and maintaining an audience and even how to earn some extra income using your blog.
- Psychology of Selling. Courtesy of CLIA. Presented by Tom Cogan, MCC, CTC. This program will show you how to read your customers and sell from their perspective. Participants learn how to uncover hidden client needs, apply quality service, reinforce client loyalty and customize their sales techniques to different types of cruisers. You will learn the 10 fundamentals to building and maintaining client loyalty in today’s world.
- CRM – Customer Relationship Management 2.0. Presented by Chelle Honiker Yarbrough, CTC. Go beyond the e-mail newsletter or invoice retrieval. Get away from your desk and use your mobile phone to access full customer data. Wondered how sAAs (software as a service) or Cloud Computing would work for your business? This session covers the best practices of customer relationship management using Web-based software to manage your contact information and activities. Chelle Honiker Yarbrough, CTC, breaks it down into simple, „What does this mean to me?“ language for the travel pro.
Tuesday, September 15
- Mastering Social Networking for Business: The Next Frontier in Reaching Your Audience. Presented by Kate Koziol. Social networking has expanded from its start as a 20-something playground to a vast online social marketplace where business is won and lost. Learn what to do online and what not to do from a corporate perspective. Hear first-hand examples of great wins and huge blunders so you can navigate these new waters will ease and success. Learn the language of social networking from the latest Twitter tactics and learn about the next great tool.
- Google Docs Delivers! Presented by Carol Fullmer. Learn to maximize use of Google’s online document, spreadsheet and presentation features. You’ll find how easy it is to coordinate with existing documents created in Word, Excel or PPT. Prepare group proposals and presentations viewable as online slide shows. Learn how to create and e-mail a survey or form to clients with responses automatically added to a Google spreadsheet. Embed a form or a presentation on your own Web site without knowing a bit of html. Sound complicated? Not at all. It’s like magic, easy to use and FREE from Google.
- Local Public Relations Techniques: How to Maximize Your Agency’s Visibility. Courtesy of CLIA. Presented by John Bateman, MCC. Being a competent and respected travel agent is good, but being a well-known one—the „expert“ everyone comes to—is even better. In this CLIA seminar, you’ll learn how to become a „star“ in the cruise selling business by increasing your visibility—both personal and your agency’s—in today’s competitive marketplace. And you’ll discover dozens of low- or no-cost public relations techniques that will enhance your promotional strategies.
To learn more about the educational seminars offered at Thetradeshow or to register to attend, please visit THETRADESHOW.org.
Thetradeshow is created and supported by the travel industry’s leading organizations, including: ASTA, ACTA, CLIA, ETOA, IGLTA, NACTA, NBTA, NTA, The Travel Institute, U.S. Travel Association and USTOA. Official media partners are: Agent@Home, eTurboNews, JaxFax, Modern Agent, Recommend, Travel Trade, Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, USA Today and Vacation Agent.
Thetradeshow (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) is a 3-day, in-depth networking and educational event. Global and inclusive, Thetradeshow unites under one roof travel suppliers and buyers from all over the world, representing every segment of the travel and tourism industry. It is the trade show event for travel decision makers. For more information on THETRADESHOW, please call 1.866.870.9333, visit THETRADESHOW.org or e-mail pr@thetradeshow.org
Contact: Kristina Rundquist/Laura Gajewski 703.739.8710
picture: VP, Communications American Society of Travel Agents
