Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 - (Page 72)

TOURS MOUNTAIN TRAVEL PHOTO BY JACK AFFLECK SYMPOSIUM HITS VAIL BY JENA TESSE FOX MARKETING AND SALES EXECUTIVES SPECIALIZING IN MOUNTAIN TRAVEL all over North America gathered for the annual Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) Week at Vail Cascade Resort and Spa (pictured above) in Vail, CO, April 6-12. Now in its 33rd year, the Symposium provides three distinct venues for buyers and sellers of mountain travel to talk shop: the trade exchange, the group exchange and the forum. As event organizer Michael J. Pierson explains, the trade and group exchanges “put buyers and sellers of travel together in one-on-one appointments.” The benefit of this, he says, is that attendees from all walks of the industry can find what they need in one location, rather than traveling all around the region to buy or sell. “It’s an incredibly efficient way to do business,” he says. “At the trade exchange, we had over 600 participants, buyers and sellers.” Among the represented companies, he adds, 40 percent of all business is initiated at the trade exchange. As the “meat” of the Symposium, the Forum brings in cutting-edge speakers discussing current and future trends of the industry in 15 workshops covering a gamut of topics, Pierson says. Among those speakers was Travel Agent Media Group’s publisher, Kerry Cannon, who presented the findings of a Mountain Travel Distribution Study on how changing distribution channels are affecting ski and mountain travel marketers. (Anyone who would like a copy of the survey can contact Cannon at kcannon@questex.com.) But the most important aspect of the Symposium, and any trade show, is the simple networking that takes place between the representatives of the different businesses. “Over [the course of] a week,” Pierson says, “they can get a jump up on their business for the next year; they can learn more about the latest trends as they affect the industry and travel in general.” 1 2 72 | TravelAgent May 12, 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Europe: Bruges Might be One of Belgium’s Best-Kept Secrets Hawaii: Condo Resorts Provide a Plethora of Vacation Choices Pacific/Asia: Manila has Plenty to Offer Visitors of Every Taste Alaska: Icy Strait Point Offers Authentic Alaskan Adventure Pacific Northwest: Airplane Buffs and Wine Aficionados Enjoy Washington Las Vegas: Let Your Hair Down at Some of these Casual Bars Central & South America: History and Culture Beckon in Guatemala Caribbean & The Bahamas: Recent Renovations Have Made the Westin Aruba Resort a Jewel of the Island Cruises: A New Musical is Making Waves on Disney Wonder San Diego Becomes a Major Cruise Port Cover Story: Top Tips for Selling in a Down Economy Rail Travel: Sightseeing and a Gourmet Meal on the Royal Livingstone Express Hotels: There is Plenty to Do at Ski Resorts in the Summer Tours: Photos from the 33rd Annual Mountain Travel Symposium Agent: Eric Ardolino has Won the Technology War Customer Relations: Ensemble Agents use CRM tools Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Luxury Travel Expo Jamaica Will License Casinos Enormous Cruise Ships are Planned ResortQuest Hawaii Continues to Grow 2008 TMU Conference Recap In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.