Now, It's On to Chicago!
by Martin Deutsch

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Early-bird registration for Chicago is priced at $39, a special rate which will revert to $69 after Jan. 7. Also, the low-priced room rate of $129 for travel agents will be offered for a limited time only, on a first-come, first-served basis. Once this special room block is exhausted, the daily rate rises, so act quickly to take advantage of this great rate.

Before we turn our attention back to this exciting Windy City venue, here are some highlights from the just-concluded show and conference in Baltimore. The final registration count was 992 travel agents from 39 states and Canada, with more than 250 blue-ribbon domestic and international suppliers. The General Session attracted an estimated 650 travel agent delegates, who gave high marks to the four keynote speakers: Adam Aron, on the board of directors of three major cruise lines and Starwood Hotels; Gary Murphy, president of Brendan Tours; Kirk Neal, Regional Vice President of Carnival Cruise Line; and the nationally renowned motivational speaker Keith Powell. The General Session was moderated by Gary Fee, Founder and President of the Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN), who will again host this popular session at the forthcoming show in Chicago.

As was the case with the keynote speakers, the crowded seminars and panels in Baltimore almost exclusively focused on practical steps that travel agents should take to protect and enhance their bottom lines during the current economic upheaval. Universally, travel agents who came to Baltimore were impressed with the positive atmosphere that pervaded this conference. They also went home with practical pointers designed to help them survive and thrive in these troubled times. The agents who came to Baltimore were all so generous in their comments about the accredited training provided by CLIA's Bernie Blomquist; the Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance's Larry Dessler; and Gary Fee and his OSSN associates, particularly Anita Pagliasso and John Hawks. Also, filled to capacity was a breakfast sponsored by AMA Waterways and the luncheon provided by Sandals & Beaches Resorts. Suppliers were also complimentary across the board, from the turnout during the tradeshow hours.

Much of the same inspirational focus will stimulate the conference program at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. For example, CLIA, NCMA, and OSSN will provide quality, in-depth training, and the one and only Keith Powell will again provide his uplifting and useful message at the General Session. Other keynoters will discuss basic bread-and-butter issues involving cruises, tours, hotels, and the strategies required to induce clients to travel in a difficult economic environment. There will, of course, also be a reprise of the much-acclaimed Technology Forum, with state-of-the-art intelligence about the latest developments in this arena for the travel agency community.

And, keep in mind, that this entire show and conference will be held at one of Chicago's finest properties: the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

As for the show and conference itself, it is important to remember that the three days are programmed in such a way that no other activities will interfere with the trade show hours, guaranteeing that suppliers and travel agents will be able to interface one-on-one without fear of interruption of distraction. It should also be noted that there is no substitute for this kind of face-to-face communication, a communication that is available only at a live event. And, finally, it should also be noted that the information disseminated at this trade show and conference is of great value not only to home based travel agents, but also to the traditional retail brick and mortar travel agents.

And, parenthetically, it is also important to keep in mind that Chicago is easily accessible by air, rail and highway. Just about every airline in the country serves O'Hare International, and quite a few of them also fly into Midway. Chicago is a major hub from all corners of the U.S.A. and Canada, via Amtrak, and major highways lead into the city from all points on the compass.

In order to sign up now for the early-bird rate of $39 before Jan. 7, here's all that's required: Go to this Web page and follow the instructions. Or, you can call 925.701.0225 and hit "0" for the operator. Suppliers wishing to register for a booth should contact Jim Coonan at jim@travelindustryshows.com or call him at 617.337.5132.

Travel Industry Shows, which produces these events, and its entire staff looks forward to seeing you next March in the great city of Chicago!

(Credits: Hyatt Regency Chicago)