Top tour operator conference events to hit up

Sometimes, tour operators have to do a bit of traveling themselves in order to stay abreast of the latest industry trends and developments. Conferences and networking events are held around the globe to provide industry insiders with training opportunities, advanced resources and the ability to connect with other professionals in the travel field. Looking to hit up a conference or networking event this year? These are the top tour operator conference options for tour, activity and attraction operators:

Arival

Arival is the top industry event for tour and activity operators, and it aims to help establish this sector of the tourism industry as a major player that has the potential to make a large impact. Attendees who go to this event receive access to exclusive research that provides insight into what travelers want and expect out of their in-destination experiences. There are also many hands-on training opportunities that cover a wide variety of topics, such as social networking, mobile-friendly business practices and experience pricing. The lively and entertaining networking events feel more like social gatherings than professional commitments, and tour and activity operators will find that they can learn, share and grow by meeting with others in this niche sector. The next event is scheduled for March 2021, and more information about Arival can be found here.

 

ESTO

The Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations is a forum sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association and held annually to provide destination marketing professionals with information and resources to help them improve their reach and results. Much of this event is designed to be a networking event where tour and activity operators can connect with distribution agents in order to share best practices and learn new techniques. The forum also holds training seminars that provide up-to-date information about the latest technology and industry trends. The next ESTO event is scheduled to take place in August 2019 in Austin, Texas, and tour and activity operators can find out more information about registering here.

 

The New York Times Travel Show

The New York Times Travel Show is the largest industry trade show for travel professionals. Tour and activity operators can attend this annual event in order to learn more about what others are doing to improve their reach and develop brand loyalty among their traveler market segments. The next show is scheduled to take place in January 2019 in New York City, New York, and more information can be found here.

Tour and activity operators who take the time to visit these conferences and trade shows often leave with a wealth of information that can help them implement new techniques in their businesses. In addition, they head home with an intricate network of industry professionals who will increase their exposure and their bookings among new target market segments. Trade shows, conferences and networking events are a great place to meet international tour operators and representatives from online travel agencies, all of whom will play a pivotal role in your distribution strategy.

If you enjoyed our guide to some of the top tour operator conference events then you may like this eBook. Find out how to create and implement the distribution strategy at your tour and activity company, download the Rezdy online distribution ebook now.

Image credit: Priscilla Du Preez