ITTFA Welcomes THETRADESHOW, First in New Guest Membership Scheme

ITTFA, the International Tourism Trade Fairs Association, welcomes THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) as its first Guest Member. Sixteen of the travel industry’s leading organizations have partnered to form THETRADESHOW, bringing travel sellers, tour operators, wholesalers and media together in one convenient and affordable location. THETRADESHOW 2008 will take place this September 7-9 in Orlando, Florida.

Last year’s THETRADESHOW attracted 5000+ attendees (including buyers and suppliers) from over 70 countries. With more than 400 companies exhibiting and over 500 booths in the exhibit hall, last year’s show was the largest North American show in the industry. Global and inclusive, THETRADESHOW unites under one roof travel suppliers, media and buyers from all over the world.

ITTFA is dedicated to underlining the continued development of the travel trade show industry, across Europe and worldwide. The new Guest Membership scheme allows travel trade shows to try out the Association for a period of three months and experience many of the benefits of this professional body. Guest Members will have use of the ITTFA stands at current member shows as well as featuring on the website and access to current members and media partners.

“We are delighted to become a Guest Member of ITTFA and look forward to the benefits it will bring,” said THETRADESHOW Sales Manager Kristen Stake. “We hope that by joining ITTFA, new markets will be accessible to us, allowing a deeper penetration into the European market as well as further endorsing our position as a truly international show. We look forward to sharing opinions and experiences with our ITTFA partners and to contributing to the greater good of the travel exhibition industry worldwide”

Tom Nutley, Chairman of Reed Travel Exhibitions, has been chairman of ITTFA since he helped to establish the association in 1992. “I had a long-term vision of a trade show network which would help us to better serve the time-pressed decision-makers who attend our events and to make sure their time spent with us is as productive as possible. In offering our Guest Membership scheme, we hope that more shows, despite their size and importance, will be encouraged to benefit from the cumulative knowledge and information sharing of our current membership base, which will ultimately lead to new business opportunities for all as well as a higher level of professionalism amongst travel trade shows.

Director of the Secretariat, Wendy Walker, comments on the appointment, “We are pleased to welcome THETRADESHOW as a Guest Member. Forging stronger relationships with this show and other major players in the international tourism trade fair industry is a key objective for the association and will further enable all of our members to maximise the tremendous opportunities worldwide”.

For details on all ITTFA member shows and media partners, visit www.ittfa.org.
For further information on THETRADESHOW, view www.thetradeshow.org

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For further information please contact: Wendy Walker
ITTFA Secretariat
PO Box 585
Richmond, Surrey, UK
TW9 1YQ
[email protected]
www.ittfa.org