Discover Where to Travel Next at the 2022 International Travel Show in NYC Oct 29-30

Experts discuss trends in travel and give their suggestions on where to travel next, such as a boat-bike trip from Bruges to Amsterdam, at the  International Travel Show at the Javits Center,  New York City, Oct. 29-30. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
 

Travelers of all ages and interests are invited to meet hundreds of exhibiting destinations, attend informative travel seminars, enjoy culinary and cultural presentations, and benefit from special show-only travel deals. Discover where you want to vacation next! 

NEW YORK, NY – “The Future of Travel” is the theme for the International Travel Show (ITS2022) in New York City. This event is the successor to the New York Times Travel Show, last held in 2020, and is currently the only major travel show of its kind. The International Travel Show is presented by Travel + Leisure GO and sponsored by Brazilian Tourist Board, MSC Cruises and I Love NY and takes place at the Javits Center from Friday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Friday is reserved exclusively for the travel industry and Saturday and Sunday are open to all travelers. 

ITS2022 is filled with lively and informative programming designed for consumers to explore the theme of “The Future of Travel” and discover great destinations to fulfill their travel needs. The show features an exhibition of hundreds of destinations and trips as well as cultural presentations, travel seminars, culinary presentations, travel deals and giveaways, and fun for families and friends of all ages and interests.  

Exhibitors from around the world will provide information about their travel products and destinations. Attendees can meet with exhibitors including Royal Caribbean Cruises, Bahamas Tourism, Wonderful Indonesia, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism, Visit Fort Lauderdale, Travel +Leisure GO, Celebrity Cruises, Palace Resorts, MSC Cruises, Brazilian Tourism, Ghana Tourism and many more. The exhibition also will feature “Spotlight On New York,” which includes a New York Pavilion featuring New York destinations and attractions, presented and sponsored by I Love New York in conjunction with NYC & Company and the New York State Tourism Industry Association.  

Among scheduled presentations are the Taste of the World Theatre presented by Doug Duda, host of the A&E International TV series The Well-Seasoned Traveler, with chefs from around the world cooking up culinary presentations, as well as two Cultural Stages on the show floor with exhibiting countries presenting authentic and exciting cultural performances from across the globe. 

The annual charity auction of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation is sure to be a highlight, adding edge-of-one’s-seat excitement for attendees, with opportunity to bid on dozens of Caribbean hotel vacations with proceeds going to fund scholarships and training for Caribbean hospitality industry professionals. There will also be giveaways and travel deals from dozens of exhibiting companies. 

Multiple travel seminars will engage and inform consumers on the essentials of travel planning. Speakers will include travel experts Pauline Frommer, Patricia Schultz, Darley Newman, Nancy Barkley, Denella Ri’chard, Bob Guccione, Zita Keeley and representatives from leading travel companies. Seminars include: 

• Keynote Panel Sessions feature crystal ball-like advice on “How Top Travel Experts See Travel in 2023”. 
• The Cruise Track offers expert advice on everything from “How to Choose the Right Cruise” to “How to Experience the Hottest New Expedition Cruises.” 
• The Meet the Experts Track features recognized travel experts who really know travel covering “Exploring the World of Wellness Travel,” “Where to Honeymoon and Wed Around the World” and more. 
• The Traveling Better Track offers valuable insights on “How to Find the Best Vacation Ownership Home,” “What You Need to Know About Flying Today,” and more. 
• The Destinations Track will point to where to travel and how, including “Where to Go in the Caribbean,” “Where to Go Now in Europe” and “How to Discover the Middle East and Africa.” 
• The Resorts Track offers a peek at new hotels and resorts in such sessions as “What to Look for in a Luxury Hotel” and “How to Pick the Perfect All-Inclusive.” 

The Government Resources Center, sponsored by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will also be a must-visit for consumers, with a timesaving opportunity for all attendees to enroll in the TSA PreCheck Program just by attending the International Travel Show.  

Attendee Registration for consumers is now open at the International Travel Show website at https://www.nyinternationaltravelshow.com/public 

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

Going Places @ theisland360.com

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near/

instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New York Times Travel Show to Showcase Latest Global Travel Trends, Jan 24-26

At the New York Times Travel Show, travelers get a taste of cultures from around the world and meet representatives of destinations and travel companies © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

NEW YORK—Dubai Tourism, in association with Expo 2020 Dubai, will be the Presenting Sponsor of the 2020 New York Times Travel Show, to be held on January 24-26, 2020 in the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Dubai Tourism will offer Travel Show attendees a variety of Dubai-focused programming and incentives during each day of the annual event, including a Dubai Focus on Travel session on Friday, January 24 for the travel trade and a presentation Saturday, January 25 for travelers.

“Together with Expo 2020, being the Presenting Sponsor at such a key show is a testament to how important the U.S. market is to Dubai,” says Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM). “During the New York Times Travel Show, we are looking to engage with new partners and strengthen our relationships within the US travel trade ecosystem and to highlight Dubai’s destination proposition to American travelers.”

“In 2020, Dubai will host the World Expo, one of the biggest events held in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa,” says Sanjive Khosla, Chief Commercial Officer, Expo 2020. “As a co-Presenting-Sponsor with Dubai Tourism, we aim to increase awareness and understanding of Expo 2020 Dubai–the world’s greatest show amongst the U.S. travel audience through The New York Times Travel Show.”

The 2020 New York Times Travel Show–now in its 17th year–will open with a Trade Day exclusively for over 11,000 travel industry professionals and media on Friday, January 26; Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27 will be open to over 23,000 consumer travelers, as well as to travel professionals and media. The three-day showcase will feature global cuisine tastings, cultural performances, travel book signings, one-on-one conversations with travel experts and special discounts and offers for consumers of all ages from over 750 exhibitors.

This year, Travel Show attendees will be able to partake in a variety of offerings related to travel to countless destinations and other program highlights including a Trade Day keynote panel on the state of the travel industry, moderated by James Shillinglaw; expanded Travel Products; an LGBTQ pavilion; a Family Fun stage; and much more.

Dubai Tourism in association with Expo 2020 is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2020 New York Times Travel Show. Turkish Airlines is a Platinum Sponsor; South African Tourism is a Gold Sponsor; MSC CRUISES, Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board and Greek National Tourism Organization are Silver Sponsors; and I LOVE NY is a Bronze Sponsor.

Travel Industry Association Sponsors include Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Africa Travel Association (ATA), American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA), Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF), Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), Destination Wedding & Honeymoon, Specialists Association (DWHSA), European Travel Commission (ETA), Family Travel Association (FTA), International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), Millennials in Travel (MIT), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Professional Travel Bloggers Association (PTBA), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Travel Goods Association (TGA), and U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA).

Travel Industry Media Sponsors include, GoNomad, Destination I Do Magazine, Healthy Aging Magazine, Insider Travel Report, ManAboutWorld, Passport Magazine, TAConnect, TravAlliancemedia, and Travel Market Report.

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

 

Where to Go in 2019: USTOA Reveals Top Destinations, Travel Trends

Venice, Italy. USTOA named Italy as the top destination for 2019, but also raised concern about the impact of overtourism in the most popular places, like Venice. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) named Italy the most popular or “hot” destination for travelers in 2019, in a recent survey conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).

The top 10 “hot” destinations for the coming year also included Iceland, which ranked second, followed by Japan, Vietnam, Australia, France, Spain, Colombia, Cambodia and Portugal.

USTOA tour operator members also identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2019: Iceland ranked first, Cambodia ranked second, followed by Croatia, Colombia, Vietnam, Portugal, Bhutan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.

“It’s interesting see five destinations – Iceland, Cambodia, Colombia, Vietnam and Portugal – appear on both the hot destinations and emerging destinations lists,” added Terry Dale, President and CEO of USTOA. “This tells us that off-the-beaten path travel experiences continue to grow in popularity among travelers.”

Demand for immersive, culturally rich travel programs continue to remain high. Roughly 82% of members offer art and culture travel experiences. The art and culture category was also the highest ranked experiential program for travelers in 2017, based on volume of sales. Two thirds of membership offer honeymoon and romance programs, 63% of members offer adventure programs, and more than half (56%) offer multi-generational family programs.

Economic Impact and Growth Ahead

According to the study, the tour operator members of USTOA project to close out 2018 with sales reaching $18.7 billion dollars, representing 9.8 million individual travelers.

Furthermore, member operators are extremely confident about business in the year ahead: 100% of responding tour operator members anticipate growth in sales in 2019.

“Since the first PwC study was commissioned in 2012, it’s the first time we’ve seen such a bullish response with our entire membership projecting growth ahead,” said Dale. “It’s even more encouraging that more than half of members (56%) forecast growth of sales ranging from seven to 10% or more in 2019, indicating a potential boom year.”

While the Active Members of USTOA view the upcoming year with optimism, they also addressed the global risks that could impact the industry over the next three years. Terrorism topped the list with 17% of members responding they are “extremely concerned.”  However, this level of concern is a considerable drop compared to the 2016 PwC study when more than half of member (59%) were “extremely concerned.”

Political instability and overtourism, a new category this year, were the next two global risks that members were “extremely concerned” about, as named by 13% of survey respondents.

In addition, tour operator members projected that roughly 63% of total packages sold in 2018 were through travel agencies, “Reinforcing the critical role of travel advisors in the continued success of members’ businesses,” Dale cited.

When asked whose traveling, tour operator members responded that about half (48%) of their customer base are 51 to 70 years of age. The next largest category was age 36 to 50 years representing 20% of customers. Gender is split evenly with 51% female and 49% male.  Within the escorted/guided and custom tour category, female passengers were represented slightly higher at 59%.

The research was released at USTOA’s 40^th Annual Conference & Marketplace, held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix AZ, November 26-30, 2018.

U.S. Tour Operators Association members, representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 million travelers annually access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe. Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business.  As a voice for the tour operator industry for more than 40 years, USTOA also provides education and assistance for consumers and travel agents.

For more information on USTOA, visit www.ustoa.com, call 212-599-6599, or email information@ustoa.com.

 

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Iceland, Colombia, Vietnam Top List of Emerging Destinations for 2018, US Tour Operators Say

Iceland was named top emerging or “off-the-beaten-path” destination for 2018 by US tour operators © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

NEW YORK – In a survey of US tour operators, Iceland was named top emerging or “off-the-beaten-path” destination for 2018, moving to the top spot from second in last year’s member survey.  Colombia followed in second, with Vietnam named as third.

When asked for the five most popular or “hot” international destinations for travelers in 2018, members of the US Tour Operators Association (USTOA) named Australia, Spain, Iceland and Italy (tied for third), France, and Japan.  On the domestic front, USTOA members forecast California, Florida and Hawaii (tied for second), New York, Alaska and Nevada (tied for fourth) and Washington DC as the most popular U.S. destinations for clients in 2018.

Members were also asked to name the destinations/sites most “at risk” from disappearing (from over-tourism, climate change or other factors) that travelers should see now. The top three chosen were Antarctica, Cuba and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Arts and culture, adventure, family, and culinary were cited as the most popular travel categories for passengers by survey participants.

In the annual survey of travel forecasts and trends, the tour operators report a strikingly positive outlook for the industry in the year ahead.  Nearly all (95%) USTOA tour operator members anticipate growth in sales for the year ending in 2018. Two thirds (64%) of members are “optimistic” and forecasting a “boom year” with growth anywhere from seven to 10% or higher.

After strong sales increases in 2017, “Member confidence levels for continued growth in 2018 are high,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO for USTOA.  “The reported growth and positive projections the year ahead are particularly encouraging. It speaks soundly to the remarkable resilience of both our industry as well as today’s traveler, who continues to explore, despite the challenges of an ever-changing world.”

While USTOA tour operator members view the forthcoming year with strong optimism, they also addressed the global risks that could impact potential growth in 2018. Terrorism is cited as the biggest threat to consumer confidence, followed by political instability, and global financial instability named third.

In addition, when asked which global events could have the greatest impact for the travel industry in 2018, more than one third (38%) named the sharing economy; a little more than a quarter (28%) cited the Chinese market.

Representing nearly $15 billion in revenue, the member companies of U.S. Tour Operators Association provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 8.6 million travelers annually unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe.   Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business. As a voice for the tour operator industry for more than 40 years, USTOA also provides education and assistance for consumers and travel agents. For more information on USTOA, visit www.ustoa.com.

 

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Insight Vacations Launches New Exotics Collection

Insight Vacations has just released its new Exotics Collection, featuring a range of premium escorted journeys, a majestic new destination, and a variety of authentic Signature Hotels, Dining and Experiences. For the first time, the brochure includes an augmented feature that enables you to enjoy India’s flavor using your smartphone to get a preliminary taste of what this incredible region has to offer.

The Exotics Collection offers luxury tours to India, Bhutan, Nepal, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.

“We are thrilled with the success of our India program since launching in 2012, and we are delighted we can continue to introduce new product to this extraordinary region,” says Marc Kazlauskas, President of Insight Vacations. “Each itinerary featured in the Exotics Collection has been chosen to showcase these culturally and historically rich destinations, and when combined with Insight’s Signature inclusions, we guarantee our guests a truly unforgettable experience.”

The Exotic Collection’s Signature Experiences include game safaris in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, Bhutanese cooking classes, and a guided tour of Bhutan’s only commercial cheese factory. Guests stay at hand-selected Signature Hotels with highlights such as the Taj Lake Palace Hotel, Bangalore’s opulent Leela Palace, and the Divani Caravel hotel in Athens. Guests enjoy delectable Signature Dining experiences at every magnificent turn, including a cooking demonstration with a renowned chef in Olympia and a highlight luncheon at India’s Laxmi Vilas Palace.

“When traveling to these wonderful countries with Insight, you can be assured that your safety, comfort and security are our absolute priority – our ground teams are the very best in the business,” says John Boulding, President and CEO of Insight Vacations. “They will take care of you every step of the way.”

Two new itineraries have been added in India, including a sojourn from Delhi to Udaipur on the Colors of Rajasthan and a venture through Mystical South India where guests visit some of India’s oldest temples from Kochi to Chennai. Bhutan – Dragon Kingdom highlights the newest destination to feature its own itinerary, due to the rising increase in Bhutan’s popularity. Additional new 2014 features include four-day stopovers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, extensive hotel upgrades, additional transfers and flight inclusions on some itineraries and extensive Wi-Fi availability on coaches and in hotels.

Insight Vacations is a part of a joint initiative with The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation established by The Travel Corporation to encourage sustainable tourism within our own family of brands and in the places we visit. To date, TreadRight has donated more than US $2 million to sustainable tourism projects around the world. To find out more about our work with TreadRight visit: www.TreadRight.org.

For more information, visit www.insightvacations.com. For reservations, contact your travel agent or call Insight Vacations at 888-680-1241.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures