NAJ’s RTO Summit West, the first of the RTO Summit series that bring together receptive tour operators and travel suppliers for a day of face-to-face business meetings, as well as a day of education programs and networking time, is a now sold out.
Scheduled to take place Feb. 21-22 at the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, California, the event proved so popular this year that NAJ had to re-configure conference space in order to accommodate the record number of receptive tour operators who have signed up to attend the Summit.
Jake Steinman, NAJ’s founder and CEO, said that 121 suppliers and 114 receptives/buyers (see list here http://www.rtosummit.com/west/attendees/) have confirmed for the Summit, exceeding the numbers for each year since the RTO Summit was launched in 2004.
“The RTO Summit West has established itself a must-see and must-do conference and trade show for U.S. travel suppliers who want to tap into the opportunity to do overseas business with receptive tour operators based primarily in southern California. explained Steinman. “On the basis of the way the pre-scheduling of business appointments has progressed, it appears that the second day of the Summit, the day on which the appointments take place, is booked solid.”
“The intensity of the interest on the part of both buyers and suppliers is indicative of a strong travel market in 2019 for Visit USA product in key Asian destinations,” said Steinman.
In addition to the RTO Summit West, NAJ also hosts the RTO Summit East (April 17-18 at the Wyndham New Yorker in New York City) and the RTO Summit Orlando, October 24-25, 2018 at the Omni Hotel and Resort in Kissimmee, FL.
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First “Buy the Minute” Luncheon Program Debuts at RTO West also sold out. At this year’s RTO Summit West is the luncheon program, NAJ decided to forgo the practice of having a single sponsor, opting instead to make presentations available to multiple sponsors by offering the opportunity to purchase by the minute. All 10 minutes of the luncheon showcase will feature the following sponsors in a short but sweet “edutainment” format mixing video with live presentations.
Here’s Showcase Program.
1:15-1:17 PM: Robert Graff, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
1:17-1:18 PM: Donald Contursi, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours
1:18-1:21: PM: Chryl Collins, Sonoma Tourism Bureau
1:21-1:23: PM: Harry Wade: Duty Free Americas
1:23-1:25: PM: LaToya Grant, City Sightseeing
1:25-1:35: PM: Betsy Cooper, TourOperatorland.com Presented by: Betsy Cooper
