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 

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International Travel Show in NYC Oct 28-30 Showcases Offerings, Innovations for Travelers

At the upcoming International Travel Show, Oct. 28-30 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC, I Love NY, one of the sponsors, will showcase such destinations as Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes, where you can enjoy exquisite hiking and camping © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

With tourists and travelers of all stripes returning to the skies, seas, roads, excitement is building for the International Travel Show, where travel industry players showcase their offerings and innovations. The International Travel Show will celebrate “The Future of Travel” from Friday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, with presentations, exhibits and cultural performances from global destinations, cruise lines, hotels, travel products and services to entice and inform consumers, travel trade, and media.

The three-day event’s format features travel trade and media exclusive sessions on Friday before opening to consumers the following two days.

A headline session for travel trade day will be a panel discussion on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism from high-level topic experts who have been leading major initiatives to mitigate negative impact of travel on the planet, including  Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica; Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group; Shannon Guihan – Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of TreadRight-The Travel Corporation; Asta Lassesen, CEO Hurtigruten Expedition and Terry Dale, President and CEO of U.S. Tour Operators Association.

Among major travel industry players set to enliven the International Travel Show with interactive, entertaining, and informative exhibits:

Hotels & Resorts

An international benchmark for sustainable tourism, family-run Iberostar Hotels & Resorts offers unforgettable experiences at more than 100 properties in the best locations around the world. With all-inclusive resorts in Spain and Mexico, Sandos Hotels & Resorts strives to be unique and taps widespread community practices for efficient use of energy and natural resources to reduce its ecological footprint. Mexico-based Palace Resorts offers all-inclusive luxury at nine properties and low-carbon tourism that goes far beyond sustainability. Le Blanc Spa Resortsin Cancun and Los Cabos are adults-only gems, as evidenced by recent awards from Trip Advisor and a Readers’ Choice from Condé Nast Traveler.

Cruise Lines

The world’s third-largest cruise line, MSC Cruises is the leader in many corners of the globe, including Europe, South America, the Gulf, and Southern Africa, and boasts a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America, and the Far East as well. Celebrity Cruises aspires to impress, providing the best vacations possible and opening the world to make lives better while inspiring others to do the same. Known for driving innovation at sea, Royal Caribbean Internationalhas been redefining cruise vacationing for more than 50 years and still proudly pushes envelopes. The leading small ship travel company, Viking offers river, ocean, and expedition voyages on every continent and has 250+ awards, including a 2022 Travel + Leisure “World’s Best” and 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice.

Tours and Expeditions

Australia-based Aurora Expeditions has been a leader and innovator in a competitive travel genre for 30 years, and it has a World Travel Award as “World’s Leading Polar Expedition” to show for it. The Travel Corporation provides travel experiences of a lifetime from a family of 40 award-winning travel and hospitality brands across 70 countries all over the globe. Psssst – Secret Italia Tours is a family boutique tour company offering a range of tours throughout Italy and Europe, from small group and private tours, to gulet cruises and custom itineraries. The Travel Bureau of Nepal organizes treks, expeditions, canyoning, culture tours, Shaman tours, and trips to Tibet, Bhutan, and Ladakh in India.

Destinations

I Love New York (ILNY), a sponsor of the travel show, is showcasing destinations including Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council offering hiking, biking, wine tasting and more; and the Catskills such as Sullivan County Visitors Association,  named one of the best small towns to visit in 2022 for hiking, boutique hotels, and breweries by Travel + Leisure.  

Florida will be all over the International Travel Show with Visit Tampa Bay, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Visit Central Florida, which promotes Polk County, working to drive tourism to the Sunshine State.  Sweet Home Alabama is the Alabama Tourism Department’s effort to promote the state nationally and internationally.

Across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism makes sure the Garden State blooms with visitors, vacationers, and tour groups.

The Caribbean will be widely represented at the International Travel Show. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism communicates for all of the islands – close to 30 inhabited – of the unique and exciting destination. St. Martin and St. Maarten will promote the many unique, diverse, and friendly experiences waiting on “the Friendly Island” in the northeast Caribbean Sea. The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism is making the islands the premier island destination by delivering distinctive and diverse experiences while enriching the lives of residents and visitors. The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board has much to promote about its breathtaking islands surrounded by the sparkling sea, including Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke. The Jamaica Tourist Board is positioning the island nation as the preeminent tourist destination in the region.

Asia is represented by Tourism Malaysia, a melting pot of cultures offering urban exploration in one of its major cities, relaxation on the beaches, hiking in Borneo, or scuba diving around one of 800+ islands. And the name Wonderful Indonesia says it all, with a commitment to promote destinations in an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and no end of experiences for local and international travelers to jump into between them.

Farther afield, Visit Estonia represents a small country that can make a big impression on travelers, with over 2,000 islands and Tallinn, its capital, as the best-preserved medieval city in Northern Europe.

The International Travel Show (ITS2022), presenting sponsor Travel + Leisure, is a prominent travel industry trade and consumer travel event in New York City featuring educational seminars and activations, a major exhibition with cultural and regional pavilions showcasing hundreds of travel companies and destinations from around the world. ITS2022 brings together the travel industry to address issues that are key to the future of travel and tourism, provide educational and informational seminars to travel professionals and the traveling public and serve as a platform for emerging solutions for the global tourism marketplace.  For more information, visit www.nyInternationalTravelShow.com   

Travel + Leisure Co. is a leading membership and leisure travel company, with nearly 20 travel brands across its resort, travel club, and lifestyle portfolio. The company provides vacation experiences and travel inspiration to millions of owners, members, and subscribers every year through its products and services: Wyndham Destinations, one of the largest vacation ownership companies with more than 245 vacation club resort locations across the globe, and one of the world’s foremost membership travel businesses that includes the largest vacation exchange company and subscription travel brands, travel content and travel services. Learn more at travelandleisureco.com.

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Where To Go In 2020: US Tour Operators Reveal Top Travel Trends For 2020

Arriving in Porec, Croatia, the end-point of Biketours.com’s 8-day self-guided bike tour that started in Venice, Italy. US tour operators see Croatia as a top emerging destination; Italy as the most popular destination for 2020 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) released results of its annual travel trend and forecast survey of the association’s active tour operator members naming Italy the most popular destination for travelers in 2020.

The top five “hot” destinations for next year also included France, which ranked second; followed by Spain, Greece and the United Kingdom (tied for third); Ireland and Japan (tied for fourth), Germany tying South Africa for fifth.

“Europe has a very strong presence, which we saw in last year’s survey reinforcing continued interest and growth in European travel among US consumers, driven by both more product and more demand,” cited Terry Dale, President and CEO of USTOA.

USTOA tour operator members also identified their top five off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2020: Egypt, Croatia and Colombia tied for first. “Egypt topping the list is the epitome of a destination comeback story,” added Dale. “It reinforces a strong return in popularity and demand among travelers, after several challenging years.”  Making the list for the first time, Slovenia was named second, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, and Morocco and Ethiopia (tied for fifth).

On the domestic front, USTOA members forecast California as the most popular U.S. destination for clients in 2020. New York came in second, with Florida and Nevada tied for third, followed by Arizona, and Alaska and Hawaii (tied for fifth).

Arts and culture was cited by survey participants as the top travel category driving sales in 2019, wildlife and nature followed in a close second.  Local immersion, small groups/small ships and uncharted destinations were named by Active Members as the top three travel trends projected to grow the most over the next five years.

Members were also asked to name the destinations/sites that travelers should see now, with some sense of urgency before overcrowding, climate change or other factors impact the experience.

Antarctica was named first, followed by Machu Picchu in Peru, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Venice, Italy (tied for third).

Who is Traveling?

Just shy of two thirds (60%) of members’ customer base are 51 years of age and older. The next largest age group is 35 to 50 years old, representing 20% of customers. Almost half (44%) of members named multigenerational family as their top growing passenger category in 2019.

Growth Ahead

Roughly 82% of USTOA tour operator members anticipate growth in sales for the year ending in 2020 with nearly half (45%) “optimistic” and forecasting a “boom year” with growth anywhere from seven to 10% or higher.

“Member confidence levels for the year ahead are high with roughly three quarters of our tour operator members ‘confident’ or ‘highly confident’ that revenues will increase in the coming year,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO for USTOA.  “This is particularly encouraging especially as we approach a election year, when, historically, consumer spending is more conservative.”

“In fact, when asked about potential threats to traveler confidence in the year ahead, the presidential election year topped the list,” Dale continued. Recession was named the second global risk that could impact potential growth in 2020, followed by global financial instability in third.

Research from the new member survey was revealed at USTOA’s Annual Conference & Marketplace, December 2 to December 6 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, FL.

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

Representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, the member companies of U.S. Tour Operators Association provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 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.

 

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US, Italy, France Among Top 10 Spring Break Destinations; Switzerland, Greece, Morocco Showing Biggest Increase in Bookings

Meteora, Greece. Travel to Greece is on the upswing. © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

NEW YORK – The global luxury travel network Virtuoso® is revealing the around-the-world locations where upscale travelers plan to spend their spring breaks this year, including destinations showing renewed strength following down periods. A leading trend forecaster, Virtuoso has examined its $49.5 billion in transactions to showcase the top destinations for March and April. With holidays occurring deeper into April this year, the prolonged spring travel period will allow visitors to enjoy warmer temps in many of these must-have destinations. 

The Virtuoso Top 10:

The most popular destinations for spring travel based on future bookings.

1. United States                                                   6. Israel
2. Italy                                                                 7. Japan
3. France                                                             8. Australia
4. United Kingdom                                              9. Spain
5. New Zealand                                                   10. China

 The Top 10 analysis: Americans are staying closer to home this spring, seeking the sun in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando. Eternally desirable Europe holds four spots on the list; Italy and France exhibit year-round popularity. U.S. travelers are benefiting from a favorable exchange rate against the euro and pound, and spring’s shoulder season is ideal for enjoying the continent minus the summer crowds. New Zealand and Australia beckon families this time of year with their pleasant temperatures and abundance of active experiences. As the birthplace of major world religions, Israel holds great appeal as an educational family destination, with spring a peak season due to Easter and Passover celebrations. Travelers wanting to see Japan’s famed cherry blossoms are heading there in increasing numbers, as the country is also the top emerging destination of 2019, according to the Virtuoso Luxe Report.

The Virtuoso Hot 10:

The countries that have seen the largest percentage of growth in year-over-year bookings.

1. Switzerland (+589%)                                      6. Spain (+112%)
2. Greece (+312%)                                              7. Turks and Caicos (+90%)
3. Morocco (+302%)                                          8. New Zealand (+84%)
4. Japan (+220%)                                                9. Chile (+78%)
5. United Arab Emirates (+197%)                      10. Puerto Rico (+70%)

The Hot 10 analysis: Switzerland is riding a wave of mounting popularity among upscale Americans for its exquisite scenery, abundance of world-class hotels and outdoor activities. Greece continues the upward trajectory Virtuoso first noted for last summer, as the country started emerging from financial challenges. Also returning strongly: North Africa and Middle East destinations such as Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. Growth in bookings to the region, first observed last fall, continues from luxury travelers. Another comeback story is the Caribbean, represented on the list by Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico. Chile is emerging as a culinary destination, and numerous grape harvest festivals attract wine fans during March and April.

Data is obtained from Virtuoso’s U.S. travel agency members and displays future travel for March and April 2019. 

Virtuoso® is a leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 20,000 elite travel advisors in 50 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with over 1,800 of the world’s best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than $26.4 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.

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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.

 

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