Coming Soon: Western States Virtual Expo

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in domestic travel, and a lot of that interest has been focused on the Western U.S.

The region checks off a lot of boxes in what people are looking for in a vacation these days, including beautiful, remote areas where clients can experience nature; plenty of adventurous activities for all ages; cultural and historic attractions; top-tier accommodations; and effective and enforced pandemic health guidelines.

In response to this interest, TravelAge West has created the Western States Virtual Expo to help travel advisors learn more about the West. The event, which takes place Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PDT), brings together more than 50 of the top tourism offices, suppliers and activity and attractions companies throughout the region. Led by Marquee Sponsors Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Travel Oregon, Visit California and Washington Tourism Alliance, the virtual event is the largest show of its kind.

"Throughout this pandemic, we have seen intense, growing interest in the West,” said Ken Shapiro, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of TravelAge West. “By bringing together the region’s top tourism partners, we are providing our audience of travel advisors with a valuable resource in this difficult time.”

The Western States Virtual Expo will feature education, one-on-one networking and more. Three webinars will take place during the expo. “Master the West,” hosted by TravelAge West Deputy Digital Editor Valerie Chen, is a roundtable webinar that features presentations on the hottest domestic travel trends and products. “Traveling West Responsibly,” moderated by TravelAge West’s Shapiro, is a panel discussion with representatives from state and tourism offices that will cover major topics in the West. A third webinar, moderated by Emma Weissmann, Senior Editor at TravelAge West, will focus on the latest developments in one of the region’s top destinations, the Hawaiian Islands.

"We’re so happy to be able to present this crucial information to advisors,” Shapiro said. “The current crisis has made destination education more important than ever as agents look to assist their customers and drive business.”