Applications are now being accepted for Travel Weekly and TravelAge West’s annual Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) and Global Travel Marketplace West.
GTM West will be held at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz., May 2-4; GTM takes place at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Fla., July 31 through August 2.
These are boutique events that give pre-approved travel advisors the opportunity to meet new suppliers, build upon relationships with suppliers they already know and network with peers. In 2019, 100% of travel advisors at both events said they would highly recommend attending to a colleague.
A limited number of top-performing advisors are invited to participate: 100 to 125 for GTM and 100 for GTM West. Advisors must have $1 million in annual sales to qualify for GTM, and $800,000 in annual sales for GTM West. Or, a participant can be an owner of a multimillion-dollar agency who actively books travel. All attendees must have the authority to make product and partner decisions.
"GTM continues to attract the best in the business each year. These are serious travel professionals looking to grow, change, and build relationships," said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, senior vice president of events for the Travel Group, Northstar Travel Group. "We’re excited to see what this year brings and the connections that will form as a result of the incomparable networking opportunities at GTM."
Northstar Travel Group is the parent company of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West. Each event includes two days of one-on-one, scheduled meetings. Advisors have up to 50 one-on-one meetings, each of which lasts six minutes. Advisors also participate in a number of boardroom presentations, in which suppliers meet with roughly a dozen advisors in a collaborative and interactive environment. Selected advisors are fully hosted, receiving round-trip air, a three-night hotel stay, meals, networking opportunities and invitations to events.
GTM West is for travel advisors from the western half of North America: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
GTM is a national event, accepting advisors from throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Advisors can apply at www.globaltravelmarketplace.com. The next step is a one-on-one telephone interview.
Advisors see the sales results almost immediately, as well as added confidence in selling new types of suppliers. “My goal when attending GTM was to break out of my comfort zone and start selling the world,” said Kristy Mosolino, Wishes Travel. “Since the event, I’ve put together quotes for Costa Rica, Belize, Singapore, Italy, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Antigua, St. Lucia, Africa, and a large number of cruises. And my agency is benefitting from these new supplier contacts and relationships as well, having sold all-inclusives, ski vacations, Hawaii, and more."
Supplier opportunities are selling out. All boardrooms are sold out, but a limited number of appointment slots are available for each event. For supplier inquiries, please contact Emmy Morales at [email protected] or (201) 902-1951.
The Details
Global Travel Marketplace West
www.gtmwest.com
Global Travel Marketplace
www.globaltravelmarketplace.com