The Pinellas County Tourist Development Council (as created
The Pinellas County Tourist Development Council (as created
The Pinellas County Tourist Development Council (as created
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Clearwater, Florida, April 12, 2006<br />
<strong>The</strong> Boston Globe Travel Show-Boston, MA March 24-26, 2006<br />
ATTENDANCE:<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
Approx 15,000<br />
PARTICIPATIO N: TradeWinds Island Resorts, Alden Beach Resort, and Marriott Suites on<br />
Sand Key<br />
NOTES:<br />
Brochure Distribution: Clearwater Beach Chamber<br />
and Clearwater Regional Chamber<br />
• For the p<strong>as</strong>t 3 years, the New York Times h<strong>as</strong> successfully produced a travel<br />
trade/consumer show held in New York City. <strong>The</strong> Boston Globe, owned by the New York<br />
Times, is the leading newspaper in the Boston metropolitan<br />
area. Hoping to achieve equal success, this w<strong>as</strong> the first year the Boston Globe produced a travel<br />
trade/consumer show similar to New York. It w<strong>as</strong> held in Boston’s Seaport<br />
Trade Center and, despite a slow start and a baby expo going on at the same time, the show<br />
w<strong>as</strong> very well attended.<br />
• Exhibitors ranged from cruise lines to worldwide destinations.<br />
<strong>The</strong> St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area had the largest representation among the Florida exhibitors. Along<br />
with us, Florida w<strong>as</strong> represented by Fort Myers, Marco<br />
Island and Universal Studios. Liberty Travel, Vacations Expo, and TNT set-up stations throughout the hall for<br />
on-site bookings.<br />
• A number of people who stopped by our booth had just recently visited our area. All were impressed with how beautiful Fort DeSoto is and the fact that it is not built<br />
up. Many Red Sox fans were interested in Tropicana Field and remarked that it is e<strong>as</strong>ier and less expensive for them to take in a Red Sox game here than in Boston. Just<br />
a handful of people <strong>as</strong>ked about hurricane damage but were not concerned about coming during hurricane se<strong>as</strong>on. Some who recently stayed on Clearwater Beach<br />
noticed the changes taking place and raised concerns over whether they could continue to afford to stay there. Even during high se<strong>as</strong>on, many people were waiting until<br />
just a couple of weeks before they travel to make their travel plans backing up the trend that the booking window is getting shorter.<br />
• Overall, it w<strong>as</strong> a great show<br />
STAFFED BY: Cindy<br />
Clydesdale<br />
NT S-New Jersey Series March 27-30, 2006<br />
ATTENDANCE: Wayne, NJ 100 Retailers<br />
and Managers<br />
Saddlebrook, NJ 100 Retailers<br />
and Managers<br />
Tinton Falls, NJ 100 Retailers and<br />
Managers<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
Edison, NJ 100 Retailers and Managers<br />
PARTICIPANTS:<br />
NOTES:<br />
TradeWinds Island Resorts<br />
Brochure Distribution-Clearwater<br />
Regional Chamber<br />
• Each night saw 30 suppliers hosting about 100 retailers and managers. Short presentation time w<strong>as</strong> given to each supplier.<br />
• Agents commented most on:<br />
o Lack of air seats<br />
o High cost of air seats<br />
• Customers waiting until the l<strong>as</strong>t minute to book. Cruises and all inclusives being popular for spring breakers A lot of Orlando bookings<br />
• While here, had a meeting at GoGo headquarters with product buyer:<br />
o Interest in partnering with us on weather channel<br />
promo-p<strong>as</strong>sed on to Director of Advertising<br />
o Interest in developing package for late summer to combat concerns<br />
over storm se<strong>as</strong>on (Note--Miami is mounting a big campaign in June to attract business<br />
during this time)<br />
o Interest in co-oping with our Gay and Lesbain activities--they have over 50 Liberty agents who specialize in rainbow travel. Discussed our Nov initiative in<br />
NY at Gay Life<br />
Expo<br />
o We are planning<br />
a conference call with all their contracted properties to go over added opportunities for late summer business<br />
• Also met with several area AAA clubs who requested additional area guides<br />
STAFFED BY: Nancy Foster and Rob Price<br />
UPCOMING EVENTS<br />
Trade Shows/Missions<br />
4/1-2 Spring Fiesta-Lake Eola (Orlando)<br />
4/3-6 National Trade Shows (NTS)-Troy, Grand Rapids, Novi, MI and Toledo, OH<br />
4/4-10 Sun-n-Fun Airshow-Lakeland<br />
4/6 Travel Impressions-Orlando<br />
4/11-13 Sales Mission and ASTA Michigan Event-Detroit,<br />
MI<br />
4/18-20 African American Travel Conference-Little Rock,<br />
AR<br />
4/18 -20 Travel Impressions-Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh 4/20-23 Southern Women’s Show-N<strong>as</strong>hville<br />
4/2 7 Gay & Lesbian World Travel Exp, New York, NY<br />
MEETINGS & CONVENTION SALES<br />
April 2006<br />
<strong>The</strong> Meetings and Convention Sales Report, submitted by Ms. Shelby Jones,<br />
Director, and presented by Suzanne Scully, h<strong>as</strong> been made<br />
a part<br />
of the member’s<br />
packets. Discussion w<strong>as</strong> held on the new alliance with the Tampa<br />
Bay Convention &<br />
Visitors Bureau in sharing a meeting r ep in the W <strong>as</strong>hington, DC area.<br />
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