Granite Travel Trade Expos will return for 2024. The company says it has experienced demand from travel agents nationwide in smaller markets. Suppliers/vendors are invited to register to participate in the 2024 expos, which will be happening in 11 secondary markets across the country.
The Granite Travel Trade Expos were launched this past spring by Bradley Dean, Oakville, Toronto Partner at Granite Productions. The event was designed after seeing an opportunity to better connect suppliers with travel advisors who are not able to travel to markets where the larger, traditional trade shows typically take place.
As Open Jaw reported, 32 suppliers and over 675 travel advisors attended Granite Travel Trade Expos nationwide in 2023.
"All the agents were so happy to have Granite Travel Trade Expos come to Victoria, BC in October," says Karen Klosterman, Travel Consultant with Travel Best Bets, Cowichan Valley.
"I liked the fact the venue and number of suppliers were manageable," said Audrey Knight, Expedia Cruises, Ottawa Travel Advisor. "It was nice to be able to talk with suppliers as long as we needed to and not waiting endlessly in lines four or five deep to even get to say hello."
Dean said the decision to bring the Expos to more communities was made after the initial demand from agents at the inaugural spring shows.
"We listened to agents who wanted us to bring the show to more local communities," said Dean. "That led to our fall Expos which were a huge success and that response allowed us to go into 2024 full speed ahead with 11 Expos scheduled across the country in 2024."
All events are free for advisors to attend, and a $20 Gas Gift Card is available to the first 50 advisors at each expo.
The Granite Travel Trade Expos 2024 dates are as follows:
Spring 2024
Ontario
22APR 2024: Windsor
23APR 2024: Kitchener-Waterloo
24APr 2024: Oshawa-Ajax
25APR 2024: Barrie
Fall 2024
Western Canada
07OCT 2024: Winnipeg, MB
09OCT 2024: Victoria, BC
10OCT 2024: Langley, BC
Ontario
04OCT 2024: Ottawa
05NOV 2024: Hamilton-Burlington
06NOV 2024: London
07NOV 2024: Richmond Hill
More information on Granite Travel Expo's website.
