Get to Know Us

This month's edition of "Get to Know Us" focuses on Jonathan Golicz, the Travel & Adventure Show Community Marketing Manager.

Your Best Family Vacation

I've been very fortunate to be able to say that I've gone on some pretty epic vacations in my life. But the one trip that stands out more than the rest is definitely a two week Europe vacation with my parents, sister and brother. We spent the first 4 days in London before hopping on the Eurostar (the train that goes through the Chunnel) and spent over a week in France, primarily in Paris. From Buckingham Palace to the Natural History Museum to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Tower of London and the Champagne Caves, we saw it all.

Each day was more amazing than the one before it and some of the things that I learned and experienced will not only stay with me for the rest of my life, but also shaped the way that I travel and changed what I look for in traveling.

2014: The Year for Travel

U.S. Consumers may be spending less at the malls, and it may be to save up for a vacation according to preliminary information on early trip planners. From Bermuda and the Bahamas to Orlando, FL and to the Pacific Rim, travelers are making more time for vacations in 2014. 

There are many stats showing a strong travel surge by U.S. consumers in the coming year(s). Globally, international tourism was up 5% in 2013, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. UNWTO also predicts an increase of an additional 4 to 4.5% in 2014.

Additionally, an American Express Spending & Saving Tracker report released earlier this year confirmed an increasing number of Americans are planning more leisure travel in 2014 than they did in 2013.

RECORD U.S. TRAVELER SENTIMENT

Leisure travel intentions among U.S. adults are also strengthening, rising to their highest level since 2007 according to the February 2014 Travelhorizons survey conducted by MMGY Global. More than 6 in 10 U.S. adults (64%) expect to take at least one leisure trip between now and August 2014, which is seven points higher than recorded in February 2013 (57%). This data suggests that spring and summer leisure travel demand should be strong.

In other positive news for the travel industry, MMGY Global's overall Traveler Sentiment Indext (TSI) has risen to its highest level since the index was first published in March of 2007. The TSI now stands at 106 - six points higher than March 2007's benchmark score of 100 and up nine points from February 2013. The largest increases were observed in the perceived "affordability of travel" and "personal finances available for travel," suggesting that U.S. travelers may be feeling significantly better about the state of their household finances than about one year ago. 

At the 2014 Travel & Adventure Shows, exhibitors just needed to look at the aisles to see the marked increase in attendance at each record breaking show to witness this new travel enthusiasm. 

A vast majority of our exhibitors mentioned a definitive increase in attendee activity, interest and yes, BOOKINGS with this year's show cycle. Our thousands of show surveys also confirmed the jump in consumer sentiment and is primarily attributed to travelers' positive feelings about having enough money and time to take pleasure trips. People are starting, once again, to take bigger, more extravagant vacations. 

Sarah Gavin, a travel expert with online booking company Expedia, told CNBC on Thursday that "people are planning slightly longer summer vacations than last year." For people in major U.S. markets searching for summer travel, the top destinations are currently Cancun and Los Cabos, Mexico, Las Vegas, Orlando, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Gain also stated that travelers from the U.S. are looking to make more trips to Europe and Asia this summer. With the Asia trips (mainly Thailand, China, the Philippines and Taiwan) likely due for a 4% price drop over last year, the European vacations appear to be catching up to pent-up demand left over from the recession, she said.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE SHOW CYCLE A RECORD BREAKER

All of these stats are again confirmed by the Travel & Adventure Shows which saw a combined 29% growth in exhibit participation series wide, with each show setting record attendance.

All in all, beginning with Dallas and ending with San Diego, together we welcomed over 113,500 season travel enthusiasts! Our LA, Chicago and Washington DC shows are now numbers 1, 2 and 3 respectively in terms of attendance. With the expansion to the entire Long Beach Convention Center and the upsizing of many exhibitors, our LA show will be the largest of every measure in the country.

SAN DIEGO LAUNCH OUR BEST EVER

Over 12,800 people attended the inaugural San Diego event much to our and our exhibitor's delight. 

Once again, brave exhibitors faced packed aisles and from the minute the show opened, exhibitors were in sales mode fielding informed questions and booking trips from our most affluent audience to date.

Like all of our events, the San Diego attendees were enthusiastic, ready to travel and on top of that, a wonderfully friendly crowd. Over 57% had household incomes over $100k,  68% were over age 45 and over 58% spend over $5,000 annually on travel. Along with those outstanding numbers, an astonishing 28% of San Diego attendees spend over $10,000 on travel!

So, we bring the show season to a close with another record event and our best launch in over ten years. But more importantly is the outlook of success we see for our over 1,200 customers. We are humbled by the many compliments we received post show season from many of you, and the overwhelming re-sign we have seen for the next show cycle. 

Many exhibitors are adding new markets, supporting our Philadelphia show (which incidentally is already the largest show ever in the Philly metro area) and increasing booth size to handle more traveler interactions for next year.

From the entire Travel & Adventure Show Team - a big thank you to all of our loyal and growing number of exhibitors! We work hard for you year round and we are pleased that we have helped so many travelers connect with you this season.

We have enjoyed seeing you this past show season and look forward to meeting you at various industry events, offices and meetings over the off season. 

Please accept our well wishes and our hope for strong bookings!

As always, thanks for reading.

See you in October at the Dallas Convention Center where the adventure continues!

John Golicz, CEO

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!