Understanding the Travel Trade

The travel trade is comprised of a network of professionals dedicated to creating and selling travel experiences. This group includes:

• Group Tour Operators: Crafting and selling trips for groups.
• Receptive Operators: Specializing in international markets and packaging travel in their local area to sell to group tour operators.
• Travel Advisors: Planning and selling travel directly to individual consumers.

There is one more important component to this eco-system. Who sells the travel experience to the travel trade? That’s where tourism offices, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), attractions and accommodations come in.

Travel Trade Shows

So – how and where do all these travel professionals connect to do business? One of the most common and effective ways for the tourism industry to connect is by attending travel trade shows.

At a travel trade show, the travel trade are the “buyers” and the destinations, attractions and accommodations are the “suppliers.” These shows on average span 2-5 days and typically include a series of short appointments where the suppliers sit down with the buyers on an individual basis. That’s right – speed dating for travel!

Registration fees for travel trade shows are often waived or discounted for the buyers, because the more buyers that attend, the more suppliers will want to meet with them. Suppliers typically pay the full registration fee. Also attending these industry shows are sponsors. These are typically vendors who work within the travel and tourism industry – for example, media companies, manufacturers and others who want to collaborate with the buyers and suppliers. This provides a wonderful forum for people to do business. In addition to the short meetings, there are always networking events (primarily in the evenings) where all attendees can casually connect and build relationships.

There are several trade shows available for travel trade professionals, ranging from regional, to national, to international in scope. It can be a daunting task to determine which is the best show for you, regardless of whether you are a buyer or a supplier. Shows vary in location, size, and format.

Here are a few of the top shows that should be considered for travel trade sales:

American Bus Association (ABA)

ABA Marketplace. This week-long event is the largest trade show for group tour business in the country. Over 3,500 attendees come together in January or February every year to kick off a new year of business opportunities. In addition to seven-minute pre-scheduled appointments on the meeting floor, there is a trade show space with exhibit booths of various proportions. Educational sessions are also offered throughout the event. Free 30-minute seminars featuring personal, professional and industry training are available to all attendees every day of the event.

• Duration: 5 days
• Meetings: Pre-scheduled appointments, 7 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: breakout sessions, education “bites,” roundtable
• Differentiator: Largest group tour show in U.S.A.

National Tour Association (NTA)

NTA Travel Exchange. NTA’s annual convention is a week-long show that happens in November or December every year and features buyers of all sizes who package travel to, from and within North America. The attendees represent the United States, Canada and 30+ countries worldwide. Different from ABA Marketplace, a component of this event is targeted toward the international market. Also offered are seven-minute pre-scheduled appointments, a trade show with exhibit booths, and educational opportunities throughout the event.

• Duration: 5 days
• Meetings: Pre-schedule appointments, 7 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: seminars in 4 tracks
• Differentiator: International component

Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA)

OMCA Marketplace. This event is basically the Canadian version of ABA’s Marketplace. The buyers who attend are primarily Canadian. This travel show is held in various Canadian destinations and takes place on an annual basis, usually in November. This event is 3 days in length and the scheduled appointments are 8 minutes. The format and style, as far as trade show and educational sessions, are similar to ABA’s Marketplace and NTA’s Travel Exchange. Smaller in scale with only a few hundred attendees, this conference is great for those suppliers who are looking to secure Canadian business!

• Duration: 3 days
• Meetings: Pre-schedule appointments, 8 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: daily sessions for tour operators, coach operators and sellers
• Differentiator: Buyers are primarily Canadian

Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP)

TAP Dance. This 3-day travel show is a national conference, however at a much more intimate size, occurring annually in May or June. The typical attendance at TAP Dance is less than 200 people, unlike the thousands of attendees at ABA & NTA. Buyers at this gathering are comprised of approximately 20 individual tour companies throughout North America who collaborate by buying and selling tour product from each other. The tour operator partners (or buyers in this case) and suppliers (sellers) make up the organization that is Travel Alliance Partnership. The suppliers are organized in regional groups of 3-5 sellers, called pods, and each individual pod meets with every buyer in 25-minute meetings. This event offers a much more collaborative experience, allowing for more detailed conversations and time for relationship building. The smaller size also allows for more networking time with the tour operators at meals and evening events.

• Duration: 3 days
• Meetings: Pod appointments, 25 minutes long
• Show: Individual appointments only
• Educational opportunities: Programming at meals
• Differentiator: A more intimate and collaborative experience

Unlocking Opportunities at Travel Trade Shows

These are some of the national travel trade events that should be considered. There are also many regional travel trade shows that are shorter in length (1-2 days), some including appointments and others entirely trade show exhibits. A quick online search of “travel shows in x region, state, etc.” will provide options of local and regional opportunities.

Travel trade shows are invaluable for professionals seeking to expand their networks, discover new business opportunities, and stay ahead in the competitive travel industry. Whether you’re a buyer or a supplier, these events can unlock connections that will significantly impact your business.

Learn more about how to maximize your trade show experiences, through preparation, communication skills, and follow-up:

Maximizing Your Tradeshow Experience Through Effective Listening and Communication Skills

Maximizing and Proving Tradeshow ROI

Making a Splash: How to Maximize Reach for Your Brand at a Tourism Conference

The post Top Travel Trade Shows for Industry Professionals appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Last month we held our annual conference, TAP Dance. It was our second year back in person after the pandemic. Upon reflecting on the event, we want to share some key takeaways.

A Background of TAP Dance

TAP Dance is a one-of-a-kind conference which is a vital component of our essence. This year was extra special as it was held in Rochester, NY, the hometown of TAP Headquarters.

TAP Dance stands out from other travel conferences because each supplier attendee is grouped into a regional pod. They attend 25-minute focused sessions with each of the TAP Tour Operators. Rather than feeling rushed, each pod has time to showcase their area and learn what is important to Tour Operators.

Our Insights 

Importance of setting your attendees up for success

In the weeks leading up to the event, we took a deep dive into making sure attendees were prepared. Our TAP Dance 101 video laid out the conference basics conference. It detailed expectations, the benefits of attending and shared some helpful insights from past attendees.

We created this with the desire to empower our attendees. It was important to us that each person had the tools and knowledge needed to maximize their experience. The gratitude expressed by those who found the video beneficial reinforced why we go the extra mile to support our TAP community.

Power of partnerships between tour operators and suppliers

TAP was built on the foundation of collaboration. Tour Operators have always put aside the perceived competitiveness among companies and developed a model where they can buy and sell from one another. Suppliers have worked hard to collaborate and create new ways to market their region and drive visitation. When these forces come together, you can feel the air buzzing with an energy of profound determination to uncover fresh avenues for industry improvements.

Since the appointments are 25-minutes long, the Tour Operators and supplier pods are able to take the time to catch up. They share personal insights on trends, identify client/visitor desires and discuss the itineraries they are developing. In an industry where we all have the same goal of creating seamless travel experiences, the continued connection between tour operators and suppliers proves to be a key ingredient to success.

Sarah Imes, Tour & Travel Manager of Visit Ithaca was on the Destination on the Left Podcast last year. As a long-time Guild Member of TAP, she discussed the ways that she, as a supplier has benefited from TAP and her experiences of using collaboration to move forward in the industry. Listen to her episode now.

The significance of fun and lightheartedness

Each year, we like to do something creative that showcases our Guild Members. This year, we finished our meals with a round of trivia. Every game had a few questions that highlighted TAP Guild Member destinations and attractions. It was a fun way to show our appreciation towards Guild Members and pique attendee interest in these suppliers. The winners of each game won a Rochester-themed gift which upped the level of competition and participation in the room!

It was evident that participants were having a blast as they headed into their appointments.

Importance of having a host city that’s all in

Undeniably, one of the most important parts of hosting any tourism conference is having a host city that has your back and is ready to share their region with visitors. The positive impression created by a host city resonates long after a conference concludes which can drive future visitation from attendees. Visit Rochester played a huge role in the success of our event. They joined our Tour Operators to discuss upcoming events (such as plans for the 2024 total solar eclipse!). Ambassadors joined us to proudly showcase their home city and ensure that visitors experienced true Rochester hospitality.

Proves the shift in trends

I sat in on a few pod meetings, trying to soak up all that was being discussed. Across all appointments, the pods and Tour Operators were discussing the current travel trends that they have been seeing. All the trends reflected previous research we’ve done on trends this year. For example, some Tour Operators mentioned that travelers have been looking to explore more off-the-beaten path trail destinations as they’ve already seen the major tourist spots. Others were saying that their groups have been looking to take shorter trips and really immerse themselves in a destination rather than spend the majority of time traveling from one city to another.

There’s nothing like reconnecting in person

A major discussion point during the pandemic revolved around the format of future in-person events. Since so many people began working from home, we all wondered whether in-person events would truly return and in what capacity.

As anyone else who attended this event could tell you- there’s nothing like experiencing it in-person. The face-to-face moments between Tour Operators and suppliers was something that is unique to TAP Dance. The energy buzzing around the room, long time friends reconnecting and new business opportunities forming is something that cannot be replaced by a virtual event.

Interested in learning more about TAP Membership opportunities? Head to our website or reach out to marketing@travelalliancepartners.com to learn about the value that TAP can bring to your organization. 

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