TheTradeShow Orlando

Dates: September 7-9, 2008
Location: Orlando, Florida, Orange County Convention Center

As a travel retailer, attending this travel show, it gives you the best opportunity to meet travel suppliers and tourist boards that will give you new, profitable travel options to have at your fingertips when dealing with customers.

This 3 day Travel Show offers comprehensive education and training to enrich your travel career and increase your sales. By attending TheTradeShow, you will gain the knowledge to make your travel business more profitable.

There will be over 500 travel exhibitors, travel suppliers and tourist boards (cvb).

Big Events

asta’s 5th Annual Advocacy Dinner
Once a year, the industry gathers for a special night to celebrate ASTA’s value in the political arena in shaping the policies that affect the business of selling travel. Please join us for this exclusive black tie reception and dinner with top industry leaders.

ASTA’s 5th Annual Advocacy Dinner
September 8, 2008, 7:00 pm
Portofino Bay Hotel, Venetian Ballroom
5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL
Contact Andie Snider at 703.739.6876.

Celebrate Endless Summer in Orlando!
Sunday, September 7
7:30pm-10 pm
B.B. King’s Blues Club at Pointe Orlando
(Located on International Drive within walking distance
from the Orange County Convention Center)

YP Rocks
When: Monday, September 8
Time: 9:30pm
Location: The Red Coconut Club at Universal Citywalk
Cost: Free for Young Professionals age 40 and under

Rock the night away with the industry’s young travel professionals at YP Rocks, the hottest event at TheTradeShow. All delegates and exhibitors welcome! This fun event is free to all delegates age 40 and under*. Enjoy a complimentary open bar while networking with your industry peers.

YP Rocks! is sponsored by: Universal Orlando Resort, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

Travel Agent FAM in Paradise, Naples, Marco Island & the Everglades - Sept 4-6
The first 12 Travel Agents to qualify for the FAM in Paradise will be hosted and greeted by the Naples, Marco Island & the Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, host hotels and attractions. Click here for itinerary and full booking information.

Some of the Events during the day

National Tourism Organization (NTO) Summit
For the third year, TheTradeShow will host an important networking opportunity for National Tourism Organizations (NTO). The NTO Summit will provide an environment to discuss the best practices in marketing destinations.

Social Marketing

Using Social Networking Facebook (Beginner)
Presented by Kate Koziol
MySpace, Facebook and the countless other social networking sites out there offer unique opportunities for networking, publicity and increasing your sales – if you know how to use them. Join seasoned travel industry PR expert Kate Koziol as she leads you through the steps to create and easily begin using your own MySpace or Facebook company page.

In addition to guiding you through the process of publishing your own page, Kate will also share tips and tricks for using social networking sites to your advantage, especially when reaching out to Generation Y visitors.
Social Networking Sites (Advanced)
Presented by Kate Koziol
Are you using your MySpace and Facebook pages to their max for networking, publicity and increasing your sales? Join travel industry PR expert Kate Koziol as she shares new and ideas for boosting the wow factor of your MySpace and Facebook pages.

Kate will share tips for making better use of social sites to gain new customers and spread your name all across the online social networks.

Using real world examples from successful travel companies, Kate will describe how others have struck gold using these sites and how you can rev up your virtual presence.

Come to the Tech Pavilion to discover how you can further use this popular technology as part of a flourishing marketing and public relations program.

Blogging for Dollars - Advanced Tips
Presented by Chelle Yarbrough
If you’ve already realized that blogging is the new wave of the Web, then this session will teach you how to surf the wave all the way to shore.

You’ll learn to tweak what you’re already doing to ensure every possible advantage. This session primarily utilizes WordPress, which is a free, open-source program:

• LinkBaiting
• Top 20 WordPress plugins for your blog
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for blogs
• RSS feeds and subscriptions
• Getting your blog on Google’s home page
• Blogging by e-mail and mobile devices

Learn the skills to define Link-Baiting; know the resources for downloading open-source blogging software and plugins; identify the (SEO) capabilities for blogs; describe how to effectively use comments, pingbacks, RSS feeds and subscriptions; know the options for mobile and e-mail blogging and blogging; how to feature blog posts on Google’s home page; and how to find blog content.

I Blog to Differ - Blogging for Beginners
Presented by Chelle Yarbrough
Blogs are everywhere - and it seems that everyone but you has one! In this session for beginners and the blog-curious, we’ll discuss basic concepts and best practices for getting started including:

• What is a blog, and how can it help my agency
• When and how should I integrate a blog into a Web site
• Should I host my own or use a hosted solution
• How do I decide on an design
• How often should I post, and what kind of content do I use
• How can I find content when I just can’t think of something witty or important to say
• What can I do to stay motivated and not let my blog languish
• How do I submit to search engines
• What’s the best way to set my goals and gage my success

We’ll look at several successful blogs of travel agencies and suppliers as well as some not-so-successful ones, too.

By attending, you’ll understand most of the technical terms associated with blogs; identify the differences between pages and posts; understand where you can obtain a free blog, hosted blog or blog software; find free templates for setting up your blog; know where to look for content; and how to submit a blog to major search engines.

You’ll also receive a handout with all of the resources cited in the session and access to the presentation online.

OK so I could probable lead these seminars, but there is always something new to learn.

Cuba: The Next (Very Big) New Destination
Brought to you by Fund for Reconciliation
Presented by Christopher Baker
As a result of the November election, changes in US-Cuba relations may quickly open the door to normal travel from the US. 40 percent of Americans say they want to vacation there.

ASTA has estimated the number of visitors could approach one million in the first year after US restrictions end and grow dramatically thereafter.

This seminar is designed to answer questions for travel agents, tour operators and other sectors of the industry. How is Cuba preparing to add Americans to the two million Canadians, Europeans and other types of vacationers that it will receive this year?

Slides and presentation will be provided by Christopher Baker, author of the indispensable “Moon Handbook on Cuba” and “Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro’s Cuba”. www.cubatravelexpert.com
Selling Customized Luxury Group Travel
Brought to you by European Incoming Services
Presented by Bruce Tepper, CITE, CTC
Customized luxury group travel is a great money maker for creative agents willing to go the distance and create the WOW factor customers crave.

In this workshop, we’ll review techniques for creating the WOW factor that leads to once in a lifetime experiences, profiling and reaching your best prospects, choosing the right suppliers and pricing for maximum revenue.

The focus is on helping you build a more successful and profitable customized group business.

register online