Consumer Travel Shows/Expos ????

[ShiningLight]

(as opposed to video, TV shows)

We received a promotion for the upcoming New York Times Travel Show sponsored by the New York Times & AMEX this coming week-end. (Friday is industry people, Sat & Sun for general public)

Has anyone ever been to one of these? Found it informative for people with maybe not so much experience as some of you have? Won any contests, gotten any deals ?!?! :-)

(Sort of surprised LL doesn't seem to be an exhibitor.) There also seem to be big shows in Boston (2 weeks ago), DC, and LA. TIA

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Philadelphia has a travel show every year sponsored by the Philadelphia Inquirer and some local travel agencies - went one year but it was pretty basic stuff - Apple vacations, AAA vacations, etc. Pretty much average travel stuff geared to the basic American tastes - nothing to exotic or wild - trips to Cancun, tour bus tours of Europe, basic cruises. I never went to another one. Maybe in a bigger city like NYC or LA the offerings and info would be better.

[ShiningLight]

Thanks - This does look like a good one - Food & wine (plus a big NYC wine show going at same time) plus even some of the South Beach folks coming up to tempt us for next yr. with samples, plus many seminars. Should be able to graze for lunch. I think we have done enough research & have past knowledge, that we wish to ask some more questions, make opinions known, and then the NYC Bhangra group will be performing! Woo!

A lot of exotic/adventure places seem to be exhibiting; pix from last yr show include 2 very frightened looking penguins (sniff) & large snake being held by many. The AAA shows don't have those.

Since I can't get to New Haven, will be looking for some Village pizza (take too long to get out to Brooklyn) too! Maybe can even squeeze in a dash to the MMA. And if it is a dud on Sat, .....well Sunday there's all of NYC! Then out to Jersey to see relatives.

Lots of sweeps & prizes too, so will be taking address stickers - but won't hold my breath. Someone may have to hold my feet by the end of the day thou ---- Will report.

[ShiningLight]

We went to the NYT/AmEx Travel Show. We had a good time! It had lots of energy, yet you could get through the aisles and if you were patient, speak to any of the personalities who were presenting or present. With one or 2 exceptions, after 3 days on their feet, table/booth people were professional yet friendly and helpful.

We enjoyed Arthur & Pauline Frommer & their father/daughter act, as they gave their different age perspectives on what one should scrimp on, or splurge on. As Rick Steves started his talk on the politics of travel, he gave 5 minutes worth of plugs to his books, etc. and I almost got up to leave. But then he launched into a thoughtful program about commonalities across the globe, and I was glad I stayed. Supposedly this is on his website (which I haven't had time to check yet). At his booth, we spoke to a fellow who agreed that many of his programs are a bit elementary in presentation, but he has to adhere to a script, and are admittedly "dumbed down." We urged some upgrading.

Seth Kugel, the relatively new Frugal Traveler for the NYT was on a panel with Michelle Higgins (Practical traveler). He wrote a piece >http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/the-travel-industry-shares-money-saving-tips-and-freebies/?hpw< about the show earlier this week. He has a very sly, dry sense of humor with adorable eyebrows! Michelle, especially, seemed open to knowing about topics and areas people were interested in knowing more about.

Our favorite bit of swag was an ice scraper imprinted with the name of the Virgin Islands Tourist contact info! Ouch!!!!

We were able to ask questions and express opinions at several stops - At US Passport central, they gave out the advice that even if with a group, when you enter a country these days, you should make contact with the embassy and let them know your plans. They are probably not going to send a pack of Marines out to find you should something happen, but in case of an emergency, will know if you are MIA.

The two friendly women at the TSA booth seemed to spend a lot of time smiling at each other ($3,400 + of your tax dollars down the drain)

On the negative side, when spoken to about a concern about an aspect of cruise ship services, the President of a line, dismissively blew us off, and belittled our suggestion, making the erroneous assumption that we did not know how to use email & web connections. Up until then, that line was on our possibility list. No longer.

We stayed at the Carlton, on a LL pkge. The place seemed very clean, adequate. The people such as housekeeping, breakfast servers, bell hops were very pleasant and went out of their way to be efficient and helpful. A major fail was the poor wi-fi connection. During the time we were away, our beloved aging pup was having surgery on a pre-cancerous spot, and there were some details we were still working out with the vet after she performed an updated exam. Not being able to read all our email, was not appreciated.

We had that pizza at Co. and the last night of a limited choice NY Restaurant Week meal at Aquavit. YUM!!!

It was good to get away, and have much of the world in a single place. Yes, we would go again, if it worked out.