Become a Home Based Travel Agent

Travel Trade Shows and You!
By Tom Ogg

The New Year always brings its own excitement in the travel industry. The sales of our home based travel agent home study course and workbook take off like a rocket and I suspect that many people make entering the travel industry their New Year’s resolution. One of the questions that surfaces with this renewed enthusiasm for the travel industry is “Where can I get travel agent training?”

Years ago, one had to study arcane ticketing rules and completely understand the operational side of the travel industry. Back then there were no computers to calculate the fares and generate documents, it was all done by hand. A travel agent had to attend a travel school to learn the ins and outs of airline ticketing and processing transactions through the Area Settlement Plan that travel agents used as the core of their ability to transact business.

Technology and the Internet have changed all of that. They have created an environment where understanding the esoteric rules (once so important to be a travel agent) is irrelevant. Today a travel agent needs to understand marketing and have a thorough knowledge of the products and destinations that they sell. Simply put, a travel agent needs an extensive amount of product knowledge to succeed and the best place to get it is within the industry itself. One of the best venues to accomplish a wealth of training, establish meaningful contacts and meet your peers in a wonderful and enabling environment is by attending one (or more) of the major travel industry trade shows and conventions that take place for retail travel professionals.

Attending these shows will reward you with a number of benefits. The seminars, panels and general sessions are designed to educate agents on current trends and topics. The trade shows allow travel agents to personally meet representatives from suppliers that they sell and meet new potential suppliers, as well. The social aspects of a trade show allows travel agents to meet and mingle with their peers and to connect with others sharing the same interest. Many of the trade shows offer ship inspections and other familiarization opportunities, which enables agent to enhance their selling skills and knowledge. While there are numerous trade shows in our industry, I would recommend that you consider the following as the most important ones to attend.

Travel Trade Shows and Conventions For 2010

Travel Weekly’s “Home Based Travel Agent Show and Conference” and Travel Weekly’s “Cruise World 2010” (www.HomeBasedAgentShow.com) April 14 – 17, 2010, Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center, Florida.

If you are a home based travel agent this is the premier show to attend. It offers a major trade show, numerous seminars for home based travel agents, ship inspections and much, much more! Don’t be confused by imitators, this is the original and largest travel show for home based travel agents and certainly deserves your attendance! Look for a fall series of these shows too.

CLIA’s “Cruise3Sixty” (www.Cruise3Sixty.com) June 2-6, 2010, Vancouver Convention Center, Canada.

If you sell cruises, Cruise3Sixty is for you. I would highly suggest doing both Travel Weekly’s Cruise World 2010 and Cruise3Sixty, as they are taking place in two of the most important ports in North America. Cruise3Sixty offers a complete trade show, seminars, ship inspections and more.

ASTA’s “THETRADESHOW” (www.TheTradeShow.org) September 12-14, 2010 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida.

THETRADESHOW is one of the largest trade shows in the country for the travel industry and includes exhibitors from all over the world. This is a great choice if you sell international travel, or want to. There are seminars and the trade show itself.

Travel Agent Magazine’s “Luxury Travel Expo” December 7-9, 2010 Mandalay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada.

If you sell luxury travel (or want to) here is a trade show designed to meet your needs. Luxury Travel Expo is well attended and worth your attention if your market includes selling upscale travel.

Joanie and I will be attending each of these shows and we look forward to meeting you there. Stop by the HomeBasedTravelAgent.com booth and introduce yourself.