This weekend, January 25–27, is the 2019 New York Times Travel Show. For the third year in a row, NJF is managing the PR for the largest and longest-running trade and consumer travel show in North America. More than 600 exhibitors represent travel to all seven continents, including our clients The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Visit Costa Rica, Visit California and The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board. The three-day showcase will welcome over 10,000 travel industry professionals and media plus over 22,000 consumer travelers.
On Trade Day Friday, MMGY’s very own Steve Cohen, SVP, Travel Insights, is giving the opening keynote entitled “Leisure Travel Today: What Tomorrow’s Travelers Are Looking For and How They Are Searching for It.” NJF client Visit California, a Gold Sponsor, will be hosting a lunch for 200 media in addition to leading a Focus on the USA panel in the afternoon (also moderated by Steve). The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel will be giving a press conference on the red tide issue that has plagued Southwest Florida this year, and we have arranged for a large number of our clients to sit on a variety of expert panels, with topics ranging from destination weddings and honeymoons (with Visit Los Cabos) to all-inclusive resorts (Playa Hotels & Resorts).
Additional Saturday and Sunday show highlights this year will include:
- A book signing with “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi; conversations with Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil” star Phil Rosenthal and Travel Channel host Samantha Brown; an experiential recap of her journey of a lifetime by Jada Yuan, the 2018 New York Times “52 Places to Go” traveler; and many more panels covering tips for frugal travelers, how to navigate credit card points, planning for when disaster strikes and other hot topics.
- The first-ever drag show starring NYC nightlife staple Marti Gould Cummings at the LGBTQ pavilion (which has doubled in size since last year).
- A performance by New Kids on the Block’s Joey McIntyre, who will be joining the Broadway cast of “Waitress” soon.
- The chance to win trips of a lifetime, including a six-night trip to India’s Golden Triangle from Exotic Travel International, $2,500 from Dream Vacations to use toward a trip of their choosing and more.
- An expanded family fun pavilion featuring a host of special activities like indoor archery, s’mores making, slime making, an arts and crafts station, a science stream table, and table games such as table hockey and Jenga.
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