In less than two weeks -- on Friday, March 2, to be exact -- you’ll have the opportunity to attend one of the most prestigious trade shows in the business with some of the best programming around. And it’s one we at Travalliance are proud to be associated with as the primary trade sponsor.

The New York Times Travel Show, taking place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, is largely known as a consumer event, with two full days (March 3-4) devoted to an exhibition of the best travel products and destinations in the world. But on Friday, travel professionals get the entire show to themselves, including a dedicated conference in the morning through lunch, followed by a chance to walk the exhibition floor, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., before the throngs arrive the following day. And to get access to the show as a travel agent, all you have to do click on New York Times Travel Show Trade Day, follow the instructions, sign up and pay $25 (an admission fee that become $35 on March 2).

First, let me put in a plug for some of the sessions I’m hosting. In what The New York Times Travel Show organizers are billing as a keynote event, I’ll be moderating a panel of some of the top travel agency consortia and marketing network executives in the business. We’ll be talking about the future of the travel agency distribution system, how business is shaping up so far this year and how such groups contribute to the growth of travel sales for suppliers and their travel agency members.

Headlining that panel, which starts at 1 p.m., will be Ellen Bettridge, vice president-Retail Travel Network for American Express; Michael Batt, chairman of Travel Leaders Group; Libbie Rice, co-president of Ensemble Travel Network; and Ignacio Maza, executive vice president of Signature Travel Network.

At 10:15 a.m. I’ll also be moderating a panel on river cruising that will examine how you can be successful in selling this ever expanding segment of the travel market. Our panel will include Rick Baron, director-worldwide accounts for Tauck; Christopher Kyte, president of Great American Steamboat Company; Paula Hayes, vice president of sales for Globus, including Avalon Waterways; and John Restuccia, director national accounts for Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.

At 11 a.m. I’ll be moderating a session on small ship cruising, examining the incredible array of options you can find for your clients in this lucrative segment. Top executives on this panel will include Terri Haas, chief commercial officer for Compagnie du Ponant; Bo Fridsberg, vice president of sales for Hurtigruten; Susan Schulz, director of sales for American Cruise Lines; Lucille DePerro, director of business development for SeaDream Yacht Club; and Diane Moore, president of Paul Gauguin Cruises.

Beyond the panels I’m moderating, you’ll also find a session at noon moderated by Michelle Fee, president of Cruise Planners, on “Cruise 2012 and Beyond.” This will feature big ship line executives, including Camille Olivere, vice president of sales for Norwegian Cruise Line; Laura Hodges, director of national accounts for Royal Caribbean International; Lee Robinson, vice president of sales for Princess Cruises; Dondra Ritzenthaler, vice president of sales for Celebrity Cruise Line; Edie Bornstein, vice president of sales and marketing for Azamara Cruise Line; and Kirk Neil, business development manager for Carnival Cruise Line. In addition, CLIA’s John Bateman, regional trainer, will deliver a session at 9:15 am on “Clever Ways to Close the Sale.”

Now all this may sound very much like a dedicated cruise conference. In fact, it’s far from it, because at The New York Times Travel Show you actually get six conferences in one. Other tracks are devoted to Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Specialization, and Travel Media. For Africa, starting at 9 a.m., you’ll find sessions on the “State of Tourism to Africa” with Edward Bergman, executive director for the Africa Travel Association; “Tourism in Africa” with Lynne Leakey, a naturalist and safari guide; a tour operator panel; a tourist board panel, and a session on airlines to Africa. Later on in the afternoon, you’ll find sessions on the ethical considerations of tourism to Africa, as well as a full panel on South African tourism.

During the Caribbean track, starting at 9 a.m. you’ll hear an overview of Caribbean travel trends by Fernando Abreu, deputy director of marketing for the Caribbean Tourism Organization; a panel on the unique diversities of the Caribbean; a session on successes and challenges of selling the region; and a final session offering actions and ideas on growing your Caribbean business.

For Europe, a panel featuring an update on the destination starts at 9 a.m. and features moderator Kier Matthews, vice president-travel industry sales for Europe Express. That’s followed by a panel of top European tourism directors focused on travel trends, statistics and what’s new in the most visited destinations. After that, you can take in a panel focused on experiential travel throughout Europe.

As for the specialization segment, it kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with a session on transforming from travel agent generalist to travel specialist. That’s followed by a panel on finding customers in a down economy through specialization, yet another session on market opportunities for growth, a panel on how to build your travel business and a final session on how social media can help you be known as a travel specialist.

You can find details on all these track and more, once again, by clicking on The New York Times Travel Show Trade Day. I look forward to seeing you in New York City on March 2!

James Shillinglaw is editor in chief of Travalliance, which publishes Agent@Home magazine, Vacation Agent magazine and TravelPulse.com.