Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, recently concluded with outstanding reviews, and strong optimism for increased business amongst participants. Produced by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market, this exclusive event was held at the Secrets Moxché Playa Del Carmen resort in Mexico from June 25 – 29. The sold-out 2023 edition was extra special as it was a celebration of 10 Years of the Forum.
“Romance Travel Forum continues to thrive as the industry’s most trusted event for driving leads and business within the romance vacation market. It remains our goal to identify the industry’s best and brightest travel sellers, allowing our supplier partners to engage with key players that are critical in generating sales results,” said Jennifer Fernandez, Senior VP, Events & Content at TravelSMG.
Romance Travel Forum is a boutique-sized program offering limited participation opportunities. Each Travel Advisor in attendance took part in a stringent review process consisting of a written application, phone interview, and professional reference check. This year’s event welcomed 175 hand-selected Travel Sellers who collectively represented more than $200 Million in annual bookings across diverse agency business models.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to connect and engage with industry leaders and experts in the romance segment during one of the most respected industry events, the Romance Travel Forum. This influential event represents an unmatched opportunity to introduce the newest, most luxurious, Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt properties – Impression Moxché by Secrets and Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen,” said Mark Benson, Associate Vice President Sales & Strategy.
Romance Travel Forum featured 83 Travel Supplier Partners, including an impressive array of all-inclusive hotel brands, boutique hotel properties, wholesalers, destinations, destination management companies, and other key services vital to today’s Romance Travel Seller. On top of a strong Supplier participation from the Caribbean and Mexico, the event welcomed Partners from across the globe.
On the Showcase Floor Travel Advisors and Suppliers participated in one-on-one meetings, accounting for more than 4,000 unique connections. The array of networking experiences offered built-in marketing visibility for Suppliers to maximize their brands’ presence.
In addition, Travel Advisors took part in a robust offering of educational destination and product programming with featured sponsors including: Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt, Amstar DMC, Bahamas Tourist Board, Casa de Campo, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Palace Resorts, RIU Hotels & Resorts, and Saint Lucia Tourist Authority.
Beyond products and destinations, Travel Advisors took part in the event’s Welcome Session with a special WedTalks Ideas Worth Loving feature, offering inspiring stories from successful Travel Advisors; a panel discussion focused on new trends and booking habits, and a series of Peer-to-Peer discussions.
Travel Advisors were also treated to familiarization experiences at area resorts through pre and post FAM itineraries, and a series of site inspections throughout the region. This year also included a charitable partnership with Te-Amo for TravelSMG’s annual Give Back Program. Throughout the Forum donations were collected for a local Mayan Village.
Information and dates for the 11th annual program will be available in the coming weeks.
ABOUT TRAVEL SHOW MARKETING GROUP
Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG) exclusively serves the B2B travel agency channel with a diverse portfolio of events and a proven track record in producing both large scale trade shows and smaller boutique niche focused programs. They are experts in producing trade shows where travel agents and industry suppliers connect for education, networking and incredible experiences. In addition to Romance Travel Forum, their suite of events includes, Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum, European Travel Agent Forum, Travel Agency Owners Forum, and Family Travel Advisor Forum. For more information on TravelSMG and their events visit www.TravelSMG.com .
