Travel shows are immersive experiences and being around thousands of other travel lovers energizes and builds camaraderie. Simply put, travel shows are exciting! 

Here are four reasons we are super excited for you to attend the Denver Travel and Adventure Show this January.

Destinations to Discover

The exhibit hall is packed with representatives of domestic and international destinations, tourism boards, and travel associations. Wandering the aisles, you can strike up conversations with exhibitors while generating new ideas for your wish list of places to go and experiences to have. If Africa is on your mind, you can meet with the Africa Tourism Association, Visit Tanzania, or Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda. If you are curious about scuba diving, you can visit with folks from the Cayman Islands, Fiji, Belize, and Jamaica. If you know what you are looking for and are ready to book, or if you are in search of inspiration and new ideas, a travel show is a worthwhile excursion. The destination buzz is palpable and the diversity of exhibitors in one place makes for a very worthwhile and inspirational day trip!  

People to Meet 

In addition to travel professionals to schmooze, you’re likely to meet travel enthusiasts who love to talk about their personal adventures. Not all travelers are extroverted or gabby, but for sure, at a large travel show, you are likely to meet all kinds of people with all kinds of stories. Today, there is a growing population of multi-generational traveling families hitting the road. There are travelers with one kid, two kids, or no kids. Travelers who want to travel by boat, bike, or van, and others who purchase round-the-world airfares. You’ll meet travelers who are retired and living full time on the road, and solo travelers working remotely as digital nomads. At a travel show, you can meet LGBTQ+ travelers, experienced vagabonders, or people setting out for the first time. 

One of the best travel experiences of my life came about through a random conversation that started in line for coffee. I overheard the woman in front of me talking about her recent travels in Sicily, Italy where she did a work exchange. She harvested olives on a small farm and got free room and board in a gorgeous, 15th-century villa. She told me all about her hosts, the 100-year-old olive trees, the long lunches, and ample chianti! It sounded perfect. She shared the name and contact info of the hosts and I reached out to them. It was successful! One year later, my husband, our 9-year-old son, and I spent two weeks in Sicily, harvesting olives and living in a beautiful Italian villa. 

This year, some big names in the travel space are speaking at the Denver Travel Show including Peter Greenberg, Pauline Frommer, and Andrew McCarthy. With so many interesting (and famous!) people in attendance, you just never know who might be standing in front of you in the coffee line!  

Travel Trends to Track 

A third reason to attend the Denver Travel and Adventure Show is to hear about trends, tips, and tricks that may save you time, dollars, and hassles! Travel planning and logistics are always changing, and all weekend long the featured speakers will be sharing helpful travel information. You’ll gain practical insights about seamless domestic and international air travel; tips for finding the best deals, how to stay safe and informed, new ideas for packing light and smart and what to do when things go wrong. To be sure, you’ll hear useful nuggets so bring a pen and notebook. We are certain you will leave more informed than when you arrived. 

Giveaways

A final bonus of attending travel shows in person is the swag, special deals, and chance to win giveaways. Wonder Year is doing a Kindle Giveaway valued at $99. We’ll take entries all day on Saturday and do the giveaway at 1 pm on Sunday. Five runners-up will receive a signed travel book by local Colorado authors including Jon Krakauer, Brook Eddy, Joshua Berman, and more.  Other vendors offer discounts on excursions and tours, lodging, and gear rentals and often there’s a grand prize that someone’s got to win!  

Last year we attended the Denver Travel Show as observers, taking in all that the Show had to offer. This year we are thrilled to be on the other side. I am a featured speaker, presenting Wanderlust Masterclass: A Roadmap for Epic Adventures (Even with Kids!) on the Savvy Traveler Theater stage on January 20th at 3:15. Wonder Year also has Booth 910 the entire show where we look forward to meeting new friends and sharing our book, Wonder Year: A Guide to Long-Term Family Travel and Worldschooling. I’m happy to sign your book. Use promo code: WONDERYEAR24 to receive $6 off regularly priced tickets ($20) today! #DenverTravelShow and drop by to see us!

Related posts: Wonder Year to Present at the Denver Travel & Adventure Show

The post Four Reasons to Attend The Denver Travel and Adventure Show, January 20-21 appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

Our Presentation

We will be making presentations at both the Denver and the Bay Area (March 2024) events. In a session entitled, Wanderlust Masterclass: A Roadmap for Epic Adventures (Even with Kids!), we will help the audience prepare for their epic adventure of a lifetime. Our presentation on the Savvy Traveler Stage will include critical information about closing up life at home, funding extended travel, planning an itinerary, staying healthy on the road, and coming home when the time is right. The Wanderlust Masterclass will be valuable for curious and experienced travelers, industry professionals, parents, destination representatives looking to understand the family travel sector, remote workers, soon-to-be grandparents, and anyone with wanderlust in their hearts. 

Travel and Adventure Community

This year marks the 20th year of the Travel & Adventure Show series, which has inspired and connected over 2.1 million travel enthusiasts with advisors, industry experts, and media. The Denver Travel & Adventure show will take place at the Colorado Convention Center on January 20 and 21, 2024. The Bay Area Travel Show happens on March 16-17, 2024 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Other stops in the series include Chicago, New York, Phoenix, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Dallas. According to recent market research, Travel & Adventure Show attendees are considered “power travelers.” They are eagerly looking to make domestic and international travel plans. They come to the Travel & Adventure Show prepared to make decisions, and 95% of attendees say they find the shows valuable and plan to return to the show in subsequent years.

We’re delighted to be among some leading voices in the travel space, including Andrew McCarthy (actor, director, and travel writer), Pauline Frommer (Co-President of Frommer Media), Peter Greenberg (Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter), and Patricia Schultz (author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die). And we can’t wait to meet more like-minded lovers of travel! In addition to a conference format with a full lineup of speakers, the Travel & Adventure Show also has a dynamic exhibition hall with thousands of travel experts offering inspiration and guidance. In the hall, attendees can meet with destination specialists and other professionals and find special promotional deals and travel incentives while making connections across a vast community. 

Come Say Hello

We are thrilled that copies of Wonder Year will be available at pop-up bookstores during each event—Barnes and Noble (Booth 906 in Denver) and Hicklebees (Booth 317 in the Bay Area). These bookstores will host author meet and greets + book signings after the Wonder Year speaking event.

We are thankful for our partnership with the 2024 Travel & Adventure Show, as our respective organizations exist for very similar reasons. We want to support all types of travelers in pursuit of a fulfilling and enriching life through travel, discovery, and adventure. We want to help them dream up, personalize, and start planning their next big trip, and we know that amazing things can happen during in-person meetings like the Travel & Adventure Show. If you’d like to attend the show this year, you can use the promo code: WONDERYEAR24 to get tickets for $12, which is $6 off regularly priced entry tickets.

A Personal Note from Julie:

I am so excited to participate as a featured speaker at the #DenverTravelShow. When I came back from 13 months of travel with my family, I had an overwhelming desire to climb to the highest mountain and shout out to everyone, “GO! Get out on the road with your family! You can do it!” Our trip was hands-down the best year ever for me, my husband, and our son. It created a backpack full of shared memories for our family and a sense of connection with people and places around the globe. 

Having the chance to be on the Savvy Traveler Stage in Denver and the Bay Area feels like being on top of that mountain and shouting to the world, “You’ve got this, friend. Let’s go!” 

See you in Denver or the Bay Area!

Come on down and say hello!

The post Wonder Year to Present at the Denver Travel & Adventure Show appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.