AUGUST

IncentiveWorks  

Toronto, Canada –August 18-20, 2008

The IncentiveWorks is a two-day trade show and is the only show of its kind in Canada for meeting planners.  Approximately 2,000 buyers attend this annual show and many Florida suppliers also attend.  Partners are invited to participate in booth share opportunity.

Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf and Tennis Challenge  

Carlsbad, CA – August 28 – September 1, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA is one of many sponsors for the Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf and Tennis Challenge held annually over the Labor Day Holiday.  This event is sold out every year with 1400 attendees.   We will continue our relationship with Black Enterprise, attending and exhibiting at the event. A promotion will be offered to drive traffic to the booth and consumers will complete an entry form.  Florida Partners will be invited to booth share and distribute brochures.  

Central America Sales Mission

Costa Rica/Guatemala/Panama – August 4-8, 2008

Miami, being a main gateway into Florida for Central American, reported over 250, 000 visitors in 2006 from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama combined. There are currently over 400,000 airline seats into Florida from these markets, therefore, not only is it a strong market for Florida but there is also a huge potential for growth. As the number one destination for Central American visitors, VISIT FLORIDA® plans to support that trend by helping showcase Florida destinations, attractions and products to this market.  The Sales Mission to Central America consists of activities in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama with qualified travel agent seminars and tradeshows.

SEPTEMBER

Student and Youth Travel Association’s Annual Conference

San Antonio, TX - September 5-9, 2008

Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) continues keeping pace with the fast growing student/youth travel market.  The annual conference is an opportunity for destinations, accommodations and other travel suppliers targeting student/youth travel to meet with student/youth travel buyers through appointment sessions, educational seminars, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities.  Members are provided with current demographics, trends and expert information for planning market opportunities.  During the conference VISIT FLORIDA staff coordinates a state caucus, giving the Florida industry an opportunity to meet and discuss their appointments as well as trends they have noticed.  Additionally, with VISIT FLORIDA's Strategic Plan including advancement of the student/youth travel market, funds have been allocated to sponsor the "Successful Strategies - Marketing Ideas & Best Practices" educational session.

THETRADESHOW

Orlando, FL – September 7-9, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA will attend "THETRADESHOW" for the first time, held in Orlando, FL. This three-day travel trade conference program is the #1 North America travel trade show and the only trade show created and supported by more than 16 of the travel industry's leading organizations. This show is expected to draw every type of travel retailer such as: retail travel agency owners/managers, home-based agents, independent contractors, international and Canadian travel sellers and retailer members from ASTA, ACTA, CLIA, NBTA, IGLTA, The Travel Institute and NACTA. The exhibit hall is expected to feature 548 booths representing 450 exhibiting companies from 70 countries. Last year there were 3800 attendees (2400 travel agents), per the tradeshow producer.  VISIT FLORIDA will offer Partners booth share or brochure distribution opportunities. 

VISIT FLORIDA Reception

Cleveland, OH – September 11, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA will coordinate a two-hour reception for top producing Cleveland travel agents the evening before the Women's Show in Cleveland, a consumer show being held at the International Exposition (I-X) Center Sept. 12 - 14, 2008.  This is an opportunity for VISIT FLORIDA Partners attending the Women's Show to meet and mingle with travel agents from the area

Women’s Show Cleveland

Cleveland, OH – September 12-14, 2008

The Women's Show Series, launched in 1982, focuses on fashion, food, fitness, health, business, education, travel, leisure, home and art during a three-day period and 2008 is the first year the Women's Show will be held in Cleveland.  Women make 80 percent of the family's purchasing decisions including travel.  Attendance at other Women's Shows throughout the Southeast averages about 15,000+.  VISIT FLORIDA will work with the show producers to create a Florida section for greater visibility.  VISIT FLORIDA will offer an in-booth promotion to drive traffic to the booth.  The attending consumers will be asked to complete a form to be entered into a drawing for the show and opt-in to the dialogue program.   We are coordinating this project in conjunction with the Sept. 11 travel agent reception.

TOP RESA & Fair Share Dinner

Paris, France – September 16-19, 2008

Top Resa is a 4-day annual travel trade show for the French travel trade used to take place in Deauville.  As of 2008, the show takes place in Paris.  In 2007, there were 16,257 visitors (travel trade members) who attended during the formerly 3-day show.  All the major players in the French market, airlines, tour operators, car rental companies and hotel chains exhibit here so it will also prove a good place to network.  We will offer booth share as well as brochure distribution to Florida industry members.  We will also organize our annual tour operator dinner in Paris on the Monday evening prior to Top Resa.

Addison Shows

Quebec/Ontario, Canada – September 29-October 2, 2008

The Addison Shows are the most well supported and attended travel trade shows in Canada.  VISIT FLORIDA has participated in the Eastern Canada shows the last couple of years and will continue to do the Montreal, Ottawa, London and Toronto Shows.  In the past we have had strong partner participation both with booth share and brochure distribution and have included transportation for partners between Ottawa-Toronto and Toronto-London return.  The fall timing of the shows also allows us to showcase the University of VISIT FLORIDA program.  We offer booth share opportunity to Partners and brochure distribution to those who are unable to participate in booth share.

OCTOBER

Tour America Consumer Show / Irish Travel Trade Advisory Lunch

Dublin, Ireland – October 4-6, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA will exhibit at the Tour America Consumer show in Dublin. Operating for the 6^th year, this show has proven very successful with 16,000 targeted consumers coming through the doors and is highly recommended to those Partners wanting to reach the Irish market.  VISIT FLORIDA will also organize a travel trade and media appreciation lunch the next day which has become a tradition with over 20 key Irish contacts attending. Prior to this luncheon we hold a 90 minute business advisory session with some of the key operators and airlines.  Partners are invited to booth share or participate in the brochure distribution opportunity.

MLT University

St. Paul, MN – October 6-8, 2008

MLT University will host 1,600+ travel agents during the 15th annual event.  The program includes destination seminars and a trade show where over 200 suppliers exhibit over the course of 3 days.  Agents come from the surrounding states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota.  They also provide flights for other top sellers from charter markets such as Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. VISIT FLORIDA will offer a promotion and travel agents will be asked to complete a form to be entered into a drawing for the show and opt-in to the dialogue program.  VISIT FLORIDA will brand the Florida section for the first time this year and will offer booth share and brochure distribution. 

Southern Tour Operator Advisory Luncheon

London, England – October 8, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA will invite 18 key tour operator contacts to a private luncheon where Partners will be invited to attend and participate. The registration fee pays for the Partner's lunch and allows us to invite a guest (UK operators from Southern England). There will be a formal business session  that runs approximately 1 hour to discuss the state of the market and emerging trends. Discussions will then continue informally over lunch.

2008 AAA Travel Conference

Rancho Mirage, CA – October 19-22, 2008

VISIT FLORIDA continues attending this conference to maintain a Florida visibility with the AAA organization.  Approximately 300 AAA delegates attended the 2007 Conference with about 168 suppliers.  Due to AAA's strict registration process, only Preferred AAA Partners on the National level will be allowed to attend the conference including DMOs, Starwood and Best Western Corporate - who exhibit on their own.  Brochure distribution will be offered and a flyer of participants will be distributed during the trade show. Bochures will be sent to each attending Club following the conference.

Montreal VIP Luncheon

Montreal, Quebec, Canada – October 23, 2008

We host a luncheon for the top tour operator and airline partners in Montreal prior to our participation in the annual S.I.T.V. Show.  We expect to draw approximately 25 guests plus Partners and VISIT FLORIDA staff.

S.I.T.V.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada – October 24-26, 2008

The S.I.T.V. Show is the largest consumer travel show held annually in Montreal, Quebec.  Our location in the show has improved over the years and we hope to have the same premium space at the front of the show that we have enjoyed for the last few years.  We offer booth share opportunity to Partners and brochure distribution to those who are unable to participate in booth share.

ABAV Trade Show

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – October 24-27, 2008

ABAV is a 3-day tradeshow in Brazil (1 day consumer and 2 day trade) and has an attendance of over 30,000 consumers and over 18,000 professionals on a yearly basis.  VISIT FLORIDA will offer a Florida Section with booth share for the industry to showcase VISIT FLORIDA Partners to the Brazilian travelers and at the same time make the show affordable for our Partners. 

Argentina Fair Share Event

Buenos Aires, Argentina – October 29, 2008