Exclusive TAS Interview with Patricia Schultz

Travel & Adventure Show Featured Speaker, and author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, Patricia Schultz sheds some light on her experiences at the Travel & Adventure Show Series. Patricia has spoken at the 2014 Chicago, Bay Area and Los Angeles Shows and will be speaking at this month's San Diego Show!

What advantages does exhibiting in the Travel & Adventure Show Series has for destinations, CVB's and tour operators?

The foremost advantage must be the chance to engage face-to-face with a very wide demographic - young, old, well-traveled and not -- who may not have had interest in a particular destination prior to coming to the show. The energy at the shows is upbeat, fun and contagious - and if a destination is visually represented there, it captures a segment of the public perhaps otherwise unattainable before.

Get to Know Us - Melanie Flavin

This month’s “Get to Know Us” focuses on Travel & Adventure Show Director Melanie Flavin.

What is your best travel memory/best trip you have ever taken?

This is a hard question for me as every trip and the memories that I’ve made are all equal – even if the experiences may have been vastly different.  My first taste of travel was at the young age of three when my Mom and I traveled through Europe for a month.   While I don’t remember much of the details, I know that this trip shaped who I am.   As a kid I dreamt about going to faraway places, and, once I could afford it, I made travel a priority.  I’ve been lucky to have traveled to over 7 countries and 20 U.S. states.

San Diego Travel & Adventure Show Sponsorship Opportunities

As the last show in our 2014 Show Cycle, San Diego, quickly approaches (March 29-30), our focus here at the Travel & Adventure Show is already on how to make ourselves better for next year. So far, TAS has had over 90,400 attendees pass through its doors in just 4 Shows. Not only is this great and exciting news for Show Management, but it should also be exciting news for you, the exhibitors, as you have had the opportunity to showcase your product to more enthusiastic, highly qualified travel consumers than any other travel show in the country!

With our San Diego Show being a new market for TAS, we'd like to take this opportunity to present the remaining promotional opportunities still available to take advantage of. From social media contests, to Taste of Travel Stage sponsorships, there are numerous ways to expose your brand!

Social Media Opportunities

One of the main aspects of the Travel & Adventure Show's brand new, multi-media marketing initiative in 2014 has been the focus on our social media outlets. At this time last year, the TAS Facebook page had just over 4,200 page likes. 1 year later, our page like amount has doubled to over 8,400.

One of the driving factors in the growth of our Facebook page has been the implementation of our Fan Photo Contests. Held in 2 markets this year, we encouraged our Facebook fans to submit their favorite 2013 Vacation Photos for a chance to win Once-In-A-Lifetime type trips. The top 3 pictures with the most votes, moved on to the finals which were hosted live at the Show after Samantha Brown's Saturday speaking session. Samantha then picks, and announces, the Grand Prize Winner in front of a packed Travel Channel Theater audience.

Fan Photo Contest                    Chicago '14 Contest                 LA '14 Contest
# of People Engaged                         6,891                               8,648        
# of Total Impressions                    275,274                            176,994       
# of People Reached                       157,701                            130,763       
# of Contest Page Views                   24,063                              12,046       
# of Participants                                 165                                 115         
# of Voters                                       2,098                                995         
# of New Leads Captured                   2,263                               1,110        


Another social media initiative offered by the Travel & Adventure Show is the sponsorship of the Pixe Social Photo Booth. At the 2014 DC TAS, Pixe Social took a 10' x 20' booth and used their unique event tailored software to take over 240 attendee/exhibitor pictures, resulting in above average engagement numbers. Pixe's software takes pictures of attendees and exhibitors alike using props and a step and repeat banner, and then puts those pictures in a dedicated Facebook album. The picture itself gets branded with the TAS logo on the left hand side, and the sponsor's logo on the right hand side. The Pixe software also allows for custom hashtag placement as well as a specific message.

For more information on Social Media Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Jonathan at jonathan_golicz@unicomm.org or by phone at 203-878-2577 x125.

Taste of Travel Theater

Also new to the 2014 TAS Series is the updated Taste of Travel Theater. Completely redesigned with stadium seating, Chef placement and high-definition monitors and cameras, attendees have packed the Theater full to see top name Chefs prepare exotic foods from across the world.

Previous Chefs have included Chef Tim Matthews, Fabio Viviani, Chef Dwight Evans, Chef Berlin Lillard, Gloria Govan-Barnes and many more!

If you would like to sponsor the Taste of Travel Stage, or sponsor a presentation, please contact Kira Doran at kdoran@unicomm.org or call 203-878-2577 x100 for more information!