Group travel is about developing personal relationships, and as every reader of this knows, good relationships are built and strengthened with face-to-face meetings. The Group Travel Family has helped foster business relationships between traveling groups and hotels, destination marketing organizations, attractions, restaurants and tour companies for 30 years.
“We have a mission of assisting groups in developing trusting relationships with the travel industry,” said Joe Cappuzzello of The Group Travel Family. “That mission has grown to serve over 25,000 group travel planners located across America who take over 5 million people a year on tours and cruises.”
As group travel has grown as an industry, so have the conferences offered to groups. In 2015, The Group Travel Family will feature seven major conferences where groups may network and find new travel products.
The conferences are the following:
Select Traveler Conference, February 8-10, Nashville, Tennessee. The Select Traveler Conference brings together bank clubs, alumni groups and chambers of commerce to help build their travel programs. This marks the 20th anniversary of the Select Travel Conference in serving the high-end sector of group travel. More than 50 tour companies will attend the conference with a domestic and international product selection. If you’re a bank travel club, an alumni organization or a chamber-of-commerce travel planner, you are welcome to attend the Select Traveler Conference.
African American Travel Conference (AATC), April 14-16, Indiana’s South Shore. The African American community is one of the strongest group travel markets, traveling at a rate twice that of the general population. AATC delegates are the grassroots travel organizers in their communities. They act as the social focal point for their towns and deliver a lot of group bookings. The travel industry is encouraged to attend and discover a welcoming and vibrant group market.
Going On Faith Conference, August 4-6, South Bend, Indiana. The church and religious group travel market speaks for itself, and this conference brings together the best groups from more than 25 states to gain product knowledge. Faith-based travel is gaining support every year as new church groups find the pleasure of traveling together.
TravelTalks, serving group travel leaders in 30 cities across America. TravelTalks are casual gatherings of group travel planners that are based on information distribution and networking among the travel planners. They are morning meetings that conclude with a luncheon. All group travel planners are welcome; please check our Web page for the location near you.
Small Market Meetings Conference, September 27-29, Little Rock, Arkansas. Meeting planners are invited to attend and discover the destinations and venues that are located in the smaller and midsize cities of America. This conference is limited to 100 meeting planners and 200 travel industry delegates in keeping with its theme and target market.
Boomers in Groups, October 23-25, Green Bay, Wisconsin. This meeting caters to the younger boomer market and has grown into an event better known as The BiG Travel Weekend. Many unconventional groups, including girls’ weekends and social travelers, are attending BiG. Boomers are the future of group travel.
Agritourism World Summit, October 23-25, Green Bay Wisconsin. The newest offering serves the farms and markets that welcome groups. The ATWS shares a platform with the BiG Travel Weekend, and the delegates have a great time.
If you are a planner of travel, attend the conference that fits your needs. Travel industry delegates are welcome at all of the above group travel events. For registration information, contact 800-628-0993.
