The New York Times has announced that its annual Travel Show reached a new record of 30,099 participants—the highest attendance in the Show’s history. Attendance included 9,253 travel trade and 20,846 consumer attendees during the three-day event that took place from Jan. 27-29, 2017 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
The number of participating exhibitors also hit a new record with 560 companies representing over 170 countries, a 4 percent increase from last year’s Show.
“We are delighted that more and more people are attending The New York Times Travel Show each year since its inception in 2004,” says Laura Sonnenfeld, vice president of advertising for the New York Times. “Our record attendees number this year demonstrates that people continue to consistently rely upon the New York Times to provide exceptional travel offerings and useful information to travellers and travel professionals alike. We look forward to opening up the Show to even more people in 2018.”
Highlights from 2017 Show included:
Trade Day: The first day of the Travel Show on Friday, Jan. 27 was reserved exclusively for travel industry professionals and members of the media, offering 23 Focus Conferences panels that covered the latest products, services, destination information and trends from travel industry experts.
Keynote Address: Given on Friday, Jan. 27 by veteran travel journalist and editor James Shillinglaw, in conversation with: CEO of Travel Leaders Group Ninan Chacko; Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Carnival Corporation; Alejandro Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group; and Brian King, Global Officer for Digital, Distribution, Revenue Management and Global Sales, Marriott International.
Travel for the Mind, Body and Soul: For a second year, the 2017 Travel Show featured a Wellness Travel Pavilion, including a Best Life Stage, Get Fit Zone, and various related brands, including resorts and retreats with a focus on wellness.
Taste of the World Pavilion: At this the culinary travel showcase, attendees learned about delicious destinations, attended culinary demonstrations and tasted some of the worlds most savory flavors. Sponsored by the Costa Rica Tourism Board.
Family First: The Family Pavilion showcased leading players in the Family travel space, including lodges, resorts, destinations, and cruise lines.
New Seminars: The final two days of the Show were open to all attendees and featured various cultural presentations and performances, food demonstrations, and one-on-one conversations with travel experts and influencers on topics such as global travel tips for women and LGBT travel. The 2017 show also featured new seminar topics such as “Travel Destinations and Tips for the Active Aging Traveler,” “The Sharing Economy: Exchanging, Swapping & Rentals,” and “Beyond the Selfie: Creating Ethical Travel in Today’s World,” among many others.