NY Times Travel Show Set To Host Travel Trade Day

Photo: The New York Times

The New York Times Travel Show has set aside Jan. 27 as its Trade Day, a conference that will feature more than 270 speakers and an exclusive trade-only viewing of the 500 exhibiting companies.

The keynote panel on the state of the travel industry will be moderated by TMR senior editor James Shillinglaw. It will include Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Group; Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation; Alejandro Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group; and Brian King, global officer, digital, distribution, revenue management & global sales of Marriott International.

In the Wellness Travel Pavilion, TMR co-publisher Anne Marie Moebes will moderate a panel discussion of agents and suppliers, exploring how wellness travel is becoming popular for so many consumers. Panelists will discuss ways to market wellness to their existing consumer base, explore new products and itineraries that stress wellness as part of the vacation and even ways to include wellness components as part of the overall experience. Additionally agents will learn about how to become certified as a wellness travel expert and what sales and marketing tips will differentiate their agency.

Other speakers that day will include Ken Muskat, executive vice president, MSC Cruises; Edie Rodriguez, president & CEO, Crystal Cruises; Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures; Steve Dumaine, president & CEO of CheapCaribbean.com; and Eduardo Santander, executive director of the European Travel Commission.

Trade Day registration is $59 in advance, and includes admission to all conferences, the lunch, keynote address and exhibition floor. Admission is $79 at the door Jan. 27. The day will end with an industry cocktail reception on the exhibition floor from 5-7 p.m.

The Travel Industry Conference offers a comprehensive education program designed for travel professionals and features 24 Focus Conferences across diverse travel categories. New to this year’s show are Travel Trends: Focus on All-Inclusive Resorts; Focus on Cuba and Focus on Luxury Travel.

As presenting sponsor of the Show’s Taste of the World stage, a representative from Costa Rica will be the featured speaker of the Culinary Tourism seminar for Trade Day, focusing on healthy sustainable culinary travel.

The Travel Show will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 28 and 29, with global cuisine tastings, cultural performances, travel book signings, one-on-one conversations with travel experts and special consumer discounts and offers.