The 25 Can't-Miss Travel Agent Industry Events

When travel agents enter the industry, it's usually because they like to travel and they're good with people-both are essential for networking and selling travel. Yet, most travel agents get so busy, they forget to continue to grow those skills and use them for wider impact than in one-on-one transactions. Travel industry events are musts for learning more about the industry, growing your network and making the kinds of connections that can take your business to the next level. While some events have already happened this year, bookmark them for 2020 if you didn't attend in 2019.

The largest event of its kind in North America, The New York Times Travel Show brings over 35,000 people to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center every January for a one-of-a-kind experience. Unlike a lot of large travel shows, the event is relatively compact, so a new attendee can see it all very quickly.

ASTA conventions are expertly planned by some of the top travel agents in the world for the top travel agents in the world. Each year in August, this event also helps set the tone for the industry and is well attended by all of the major suppliers.

Travel agents need information in order to sell. IPW is the official name of what used to be named, "International Pow Wow," and was the ingenious idea that brought all of the world's destinations to one place in the United States. Anyone who is anyone from a top destination knows this event every June is a must.

TravAllianceMedia's January awards gala brings a who's who not only from suppliers around the travel industry but travel agents as well. It's an amazing networking opportunity combined with a classy dinner and event done absolutely the right way.

Exclusive to those in the Virtuoso Travel Network, August's Travel Week promises hundreds of thousands of hours of top-notch professional networking between attendees and highly vetted preferred partner attendees.

What do you get when you match the top travel companies in North America with tourism supplies around the globe? In December, you get a chance to tap into an event that has an absolutely massive impact on the bottom line of hundreds of the world's top travel companies.

Many independent travel agents stay away from meetings and events, but September's IMEX is a good excuse to dabble in corporate travel! Held in Vegas, this is one of the biggest and grandest events on this list.

Think of a FAM trip, but unlike any other before. The International Showcase in May brings the top travel agents from the U.S. to a location that has been vetted and scouted for months and months prior. What those agents leave with is not only the trip of a lifetime but absolutely every piece of information they need to sell that destination frequently in the future.

The "State of the Tourism Industry Conference" is held by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in the fall and focuses on both issues and growth strategies where Caribbean nations can work together to bolster travel to the region. Bonus: Wherever the event is held is going to be amazing!

Information is key to travel agents needing to sell a product, and for those in the Travel Leaders Network, EDGE (in June) is a great way to get that information. The time an agent puts into this conference will pay off by educating, but also by invigorating.

For 15 years, Luxury Travel Mart has brought the best of luxury travel to one place in a fantastic B2B setting with all the bells and whistles one expects from the luxury segment. Any connections made here in October will lead to big dollar sales.

ASTA's last event on the list might be my favorite, because the Capitol Summit puts travel agents in the room with members of the U.S. legislative branch and their aides in order to directly lobby for issues that effect the entire industry. Overall, the June event is enjoyable and a great way to meet other agents, but the potential impact of the event is second to none as actual bills have moved along thanks to these agents.

Palace Resorts is a five-star, all-inclusive resort company, so that alone should make this conference one worth attending. The Global Conference brings together industry professionals, travel agents, and tour operators from all over the world and, every single summer, breaks a fair amount of news that will set the table for a great year in high-end resort sales.

To be held this October in Seattle, Ensemble's annual event doubles (or triples) down on the professional and personal growth of their members. The workshops and keynotes are designed not just to inform about travel destinations and suppliers but to help agents hone their craft.

April's Cruise 360 is the event for anyone even remotely connected to the cruise industry. Between the massive news that tends to break, the top-notch networking and the ship inspections, this event has something (many things) for everyone.

Not to be outdone, Seatrade is where the cruise industry at large gets together to hammer out the issues that are important to everyone on the sea. Each April, see what's new around the industry and what's over the next horizon along with well over 10,000 other attendees.

Mexico is one of the most important markets in the global tourism community and Tianguis is the most important event in the market. Over 40,000 business appointments in just a few days in April will generate billions of dollars of business over the next couple of years.

Billed as the "World's Leading Travel Trade Show," ITB Berlin showcases exhibitors from six continents (maybe next year, Antarctica!) and does over seven billion euro worth of business in just a few short days. The March event is absolutely massive, so bring your best walking shoes.

Speaking of massive, WTM (held in November in London) features 51,000 travel trade professionals from around the globe. In its 40th year, WTM often helps set the tone for sales for much of the travel industry.

In Madrid this January, FITUR is the leading tourism fair for travel professionals throughout Latin America. It not only promises a massive amount of connections but also manages to draw the chief decision makers for Latin American markets from across the industry. One big selling point for the suppliers? The over 8,000 journalists who ensure any news breaking is amply covered.

Even if your travel agency doesn't deal a lot with gay and lesbian travel, IGLTA's Annual Global Convention is a must-see, because it's one of the fastest growing segments and information about it is so crucial. This year's April event in New York promises to be the biggest yet.

Anyone who has any connection to corporate travel buying (or would like to enter the market) needs to visit GBTA. The nearly 7,000 attendees representing over 50 countries help the industry evolve each and every August and skipping the event will leave you behind. 2019's event is in Chicago.

The top African travel show, Indaba brings buyers and media from across the world, showcasing not only well-known African destinations but also unveiling hidden gems and new or up-and-coming places every April.

The preeminent travel awards show in Canada, TravelPulse Canada's Readers' Choice Awards not only showcases the best that the Canadian travel industry has to offer but also features the brand new Canadian Travel Hall of Fame. The next event is on May 16th this year.

Held next January in the Bahamas, CTM brings all of the Caribbean to one location and supports the entire region with thousands of pre-schedules appointments.