On July 8, Travel Weekly will return to
in-person travel advisor events, kicking off Global Travel Marketplace 2021 at
the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. With a record
number of applicants, the nearly 120 available spots for advisors at GTM were
filled quickly.
The majority of confirmed attendees had
been forecasting a at least a 25% growth in business for 2020, and they are
determined to make that a reality in 2021 and beyond.
“We are so impressed with the dedication
and resilience of the travel advisor community, and we cannot wait to watch
business get done as we host more than 5,000 one-on-one meetings and nearly 200
boardroom presentations between our advisor and supplier attendees,” said
Alicia Evanko-Lewis, executive vice president, events for Travel Weekly parent
company Northstar Travel Group.
As the world continues to reopen to
travel, suppliers are reengaging with advisors. More than 100 suppliers are
confirmed to attend GTM to reestablish relationships with advisors and help
them satisfy a rising demand for travel. Attending suppliers include airlines, attractions,
cruise lines, destinations, hotels and resorts, insurance companies, professional-service
firms and tour operators. Less than 10 open spots remain available for suppliers.
Click for a list of current suppliers.
For advisors, the need for supplier
relationships is greater than ever.
“The power of GTM has always come from
partnerships. Covid’s effects have either strengthened or broken our
partnerships with suppliers. This year's event is more important than ever. It
gives us the face time necessary to mend broken relationships, seek out new
partners when necessary and to gratefully hug the partners who stood by us
during the worst of times,” said Sally Black, owner of Vacation Kids Travel and
a member of the GTM Advisory Board.
Global Travel Marketplace is an elite,
appointment-only event that connects top-producing travel advisors with suppliers.
GTM provides a platform for attendees to enhance product knowledge, strengthen
supplier partnerships and build new ones, and learn from the success of their
peers.
"Visit Lauderdale is thrilled to be hosting GTM and seeing the return of advisors to Greater Fort Lauderdale," said Tracy Vaughan, senior vice president of global trade development for Visit Lauderdale. "The attending advisors will be delighted to see the ambitious growth we have experienced in the past year with over 10 hotels opening to date in 2021 and more set to open before year's end. We appreciate the advisors' interest and curiosity about Greater Fort Lauderdale and how they are helping to shape our recovery."
GTM will be the first of four travel
advisor events to be hosted by Northstar Travel Group this year. For more
information on upcoming events, click the links below.
Future Leaders In Travel Retreat, Aug. 29
to Sept. 1, Hilton Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
GTM West, Sept. 17 to 19, Westin La
Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson, Ariz.
CruiseWorld, Nov. 10 to 12, Miami Beach
Convention Center, Miami Beach.