Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2007 - (Page 102) LUXURY TRAVEL EXPO Luxury Travel Expo Announces First-ever Official Shopping Partner! Attendees of Luxury Travel Expo have extraordinary access to thrilling shopping opportunities during the ninth annual show. Each travel agent will receive a discount passport redeemable for gifts or discounts from various Shop Las Vegas partners! It’s Almost Show Time! BY VIRGINIA FISCHER O ne of the great things about my role as conference manager for Luxury Travel Expo is the opportunity it provides me to meet so many fascinating people who share their knowledge through our educational program each year. Sometimes I “know” them only through e-mail and telephone communication, so I look forward to meeting them in person once we all come together in Las Vegas. This is a highlight of the event for me. But of all the fun facets of my job, my absolute favorite is being backstage during the General Session that kicks off Luxury Travel Expo each morning. I’ve always been a big theater fan, and this is my little taste of showbiz once a year—headset in place, clipboard in hand, script at the ready. It’s almost show time and I can feel the anticipation, both from the crew and speakers backstage and from the audience out in front. I enjoy meeting all of our esteemed speakers and hearing what they have to share, but one of last year’s speakers actually brought me to tears. They began as tears of laughter, but changed to tears of heartfelt emotion when the speaker was called back to the stage with a standing ovation and shouts of “bravo!” The audience wanted more, and how could you blame them? That speaker was Dr. Lalia Rach, one of the most dynamic, entertaining and insightful speakers I have ever heard, and I am delighted to report that she will be back this year with her special brand of humor to provide provocative and timely information about the industry. Mark your calendar and be sure to join us for the General Session on Thursday, December 6, as Dr. Rach, division dean and HVS chair, NYU Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, delivers her thoughts on, “What’s Going On?! The Changing World of Travel.” This session will be a whirlwind tour of the trends and issues of the past year and of forecasts and expectations for the next. I, for one, am looking forward to hearing what Dr. Rach has to say about it all. Virginia Fischer (vfischer@questex.com) is the conference manager for Luxury Travel Expo. Three $500 Saks Fifth Avenue gift certificates and three $500 Grand Canal Shoppes gift cards will be raffled, courtesy of America’s Premier Shopping Places, Shop Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, as well as 10 shopping packages from The Fashion Show mall and Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. Shopping packages are commissionable to travel agents and tour operators; for more information on commissionable shopping packages, go to www.visitlasvegas.com/shopping. Bring business cards for your chance to win these and other prizes. SHOP TILL YOU DROP! At nearly 2 million square feet, The Fashion Show mall boasts seven anchor stores and 250 specialty stores and restaurants. The Cloud, an architectural canopy, hovers 20 stories over the mall, shading an outdoor plaza during the day and acting as a projection screen for multimedia shows at night. The Venetian’s 80 Grand Canal Shoppes offer jewelry, footwear, designer clothing and home accessories. Between stores, enjoy a gondola ride or a snack at one of the cafés or restaurants. Saks Fifth Avenue brings its legendary service and quality to Las Vegas. Browse women’s and men’s designer clothing, sportswear, footwear, accessories, cosmetics, fragrances and jewelry in the luxurious environment at The Fashion Show mall. LUXURY TRAVEL EXPO The Signature Event for the Luxury Travel Industry Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas Dec. 4-6, 2007 www.LuxuryTravelExpo.com 102 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | November 2007 http://www.visitlasvegas.com/shopping http://www.LuxuryTravelExpo.com
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