The New York Times Travel Show will host a Trade Day for travel industry professionals on Friday, Jan. 18, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The Trade Day will feature travel industry seminars and a preview of the Travel Show exhibition, which is open to the general public Jan. 19 and 20.

The 2013 Trade Day will begin with the Travel Industry Conference, held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring speakers and panelists including Lillian Africano, president, Society of American Travel Writers (SATW); Edward Bergman, executive director, Africa Travel Association (ATA); Susan Black, CMO, Travel Impressions; Terry Dale, president, United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA); Yvette De Vries, president, Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA); Michelle Fee, CEO, Cruise Planners; Katie Gorga, senior manager of social media, Travel Impressions; Kier Matthews, vice president of sales, Europe Express; John Peters, president, Travel Media Group, USA Today; and James Shillinglaw, editor in chief, travAlliancemedia. The conference will be followed by a keynote panel session at 1 p.m.

This year’s Travel Industry Conference will feature eight conference tracks and more than 50 top industry executives. The conference sessions will provide a comprehensive overview of the travel industry to travel agency owners, managers, line agents, home-based agents and travel industry professionals. The scheduled conference tracks are: Focus on Africa, Focus on the Caribbean, Focus on Cruising, Focus on Europe, Focus on Specialization, Focus on Tours, Focus on Travel Media, Agency Owner Session.

At 2 p.m., conference delegates and exhibition-only attendees can visit the Travel Show exhibition floor with nearly 500 exhibitors representing more than 150 countries. Admission to the Travel Industry Conference is $35 in advance ($45 at the door); admission to the exhibition floor is free with Trade Day registration. For a complete schedule of seminars and exhibitors, click on New York Times Travel Show.

The Travel Show has also announced the 2013 Trade Advisory Board, a group of travel industry leaders who have assisted in the ongoing development of the Travel Show and the Travel Industry Conference: Sheila Heustess, vice president, travel industry engagement, American Express Merchant Services; Yvette De Vries, president, Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA); Edward Bergman, executive director, Africa Travel Association (ATA); Shannon Stowell, president, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA); Bob Sharak, executive vice president, marketing and distribution, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA); Michelle Fee, president and CEO, Cruise Planners; Sylma Brown Bramble, director, Americas, Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO); Kier Matthews, vice president, Europe Express; John Tanzella, president and chief executive officer, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA); Lillian Africano, president, Society of American Travel Writers Northeast Chapter (SATW) ; James Shillinglaw, editor in chief, travAlliancemedia; John Peters, president, Travel Media Group, USA Today; Terry Dale, president and chief executive officer, United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)