America’s Favorite Travel Shows Have the Most Comprehensive Educational Content That You Can’t Find Anywhere Else.
You’ll be inspired to take your dream vacation. Learn how to be your own travel expert on your next vacation, from top celebrity travel personalities and leading local experts at dozens of travel workshops on 3 theaters located on the show floor.
Check back often as speaker information is being updated daily!
3 Theaters and Over 30+ Sessions
Travel Theater: Hear from the top travel celebrity personalities such as Rick Steves, Peter Greenberg, Cheryl Strayed, and Patricia Schultz as they inspire you to take your dream vacation.
Destination Theater: From where to go and when to go, to what to do and how to get there, destination experts will give you the in depth information you need to travel like a local.
Savvy Traveler Theater: Showcasing travel tips, tricks and actionable advice, you’ll learn how to travel like a pro straight from the experts. Topics include packing tips, technology skills, travel safety methods, budget travel hacks, etc.
Speakers and schedule are subject to change without prior notice, please check back often for updates.
Saturday, March 23
10:15 am – 11:45 am
Travel Theater
European Travel Skills
Rick Steves, Travel Writer, Host of Rick Steves’ Europe and Travel with Rick Steves
Join travel expert Rick Steves as he shares the latest in smart European travel. In this entertaining, information-packed slideshow lecture, he’ll explain how to travel smoothly and affordably by stretching your travel dollar, eating and sleeping well, avoiding crowds, and packing smartly. Freshly back from four months in Europe, Rick reveals exactly how you can enjoy maximum travel thrills for every mile, minute, and euro on your next European adventure.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
10:15 am – 10:30 am
Savvy Traveler Theater
Visit East Asia: Japan, Korea, & China
Aki Kadomatsu, Marketing Coordinator, Japan National Tourism Organization
Soyeon Jin, Marketing Assistant, Korea Tourism Organization
Evan Chan, Marketing Manager, China National Tourist Office
Join the tourism offices of Japan, Korea, and China for an informational seminar on the highlights of these great travel destinations. Come learn about the exceptional food, historical & modern cultures, unique activities, beautiful natural landscapes, and the abundance of attractions that are bringing an exponential number of travelers to these East Asian countries! All three tourism offices are indispensable resources for travel trade professionals, meeting planners, and travelers. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to get tips on the ultimate must-see’s and must do’s!
10:45 am – 11:30 am
Savvy Traveler Theater
Travel Trade Secrets to Travel Like The Experts Do
Johnny Jet, Editor-In-Chief, JohnnyJet.com
Join me to learn how to maximize your rewards and credit cards points coupled with savvy travel tips, apps and web sites to travel smarter, cheaper and more comfortably.
11:45 pm – 12:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
99 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs – Without Skimping
Russell Hannon, Ultra-Economical Travel Expert, Break the Travel Barrier
Known for wowing TV and radio audiences with untold budget travel tips, Ultra-Economical Travel Expert Russell Hannon from breakthetravelbarrier.com offers 99 ways to quickly and easily find the best and least expensive travel options for you. No matter what your travel type is, or where you want to go, you will leave with dozens of practical tips and tricks you can put to work right away to save.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Travel Theater
A Wild Life
Cheryl Strayed, Author of the New York Times Bestselling Memoir Wild
In her memoir Wild Cheryl Strayed describes the sometimes harrowing, other times hilarious stories behind her solo wilderness trek on the Pacific Crest Trail and the personal journey that led her there. In this talk, Strayed will discuss what she learned about how we bear the unbearable, how we move from grief and anger to acceptance, and how we keep walking even when it seems impossible to stand.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
12:45 pm – 1:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
European River Cruises
Patricia Schultz, Bestselling author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and 1,000 Places to See in The USA & Canada Before You Die
Discovering Europe’s many scenic and history-rich waterways by river boat is one of today’s most comfortable and enjoyable ways to travel. Patricia explores the pros and cons and how it compares to ocean cruising, what you need to know and the questions you need to ask before booking, while sharing some of her own favorite river itineraries in Europe – as well as a few beyond.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
The Ultimate Packing & Travel Tips for the Best Trip of Your Life
Angel Castellanos, World Traveler, Travel Expert, Writer, AngelsTravelLounge.com
Make your next trip, the next best trip of your life and “Travel Like a Pro”! Angel Castellanos, The Travel Ambassador, delivers his popular and energetic talk on packing tips & savvy travel skills drawing from his experience as a full time professional traveler. This highly informative presentation is packed with the most up to date savvy travel tips and inspirational stories from all over the world to help travelers travel smarter, better and cheaper. Angel will deliver the best travel tips on packing smart, safety, de-stressing the airport experience, saving money, sightseeing hacks, traveling with technology and much more! No matter your level of experience, you are bound to come away with practical current travel tips. The packing demonstration included in this talk is one you do not want to miss. Packing in a carry on? After this presentation, packing in any bag will not be a problem! Join us for this insightful and dynamic presentation. Travel smart, well and often! www.AngelsTravelLounge.com
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Travel Theater
Beating the Airlines, Hotels and Cruise Lines at Their Own Game, Playing by Their Rules.
Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-Winning Investigative Reporter and Producer and CBS News Travel Editor
How to be a true road warrior at the hottest destinations for 2019.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Travel Theater
Broadening Your Global Perspective Through Travel
Rick Steves, Travel Writer, Host of Rick Steves’ Europe and Travel with Rick Steves
Acclaimed travel expert, Rick Steves believes there’s more to travel than good-value hotels, great art, and tasty cuisine. Americans who “travel as a political act” can have the time of their lives and come home smarter with a better understanding of the interconnectedness of today’s world. In this provocative slideshow lecture, Rick demonstrates how travel can be truly transformational. Drawing from lessons he’s learned while exploring Europe, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East, Rick shares that by traveling thoughtfully you can take home the greatest souvenir: a broader perspective.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
African Safari Travel – The Good, The Bad and the Interesting
Gerry van der Walt, Co-Founder of Wild Eye, International Tour & Expedition Leader, Public Speaker, Nature & Travel Photographer
Africa is without a doubt one of the world’s most diverse wildlife and nature destinations but there are still many myths and misconceptions around traveling to this beautiful continent. Generalizations and assumptions around African safari travel are rife and perpetuated by both the media and popular culture. With so many fallacies about African safari travel, it’s often hard to get a true and honest insights into a place that is as complex as it is beautiful. In this fun and entertaining presentation Gerry van der Walt will share the good, the bad and the interesting aspects of traveling to Africa for a safari by exploring aspects like accommodation, dining, travel and transfers as well as general safety considerations. If you’ve never thought about traveling to Africa for a safari this presentation might change your mind. If you’ve ever thought about traveling to Africa for a safari this presentation will help you to plan and prepare for the trip of a lifetime.
Sunday, March 24
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Travel Theater
A Wild Life
Cheryl Strayed, Author of the New York Times Bestselling Memoir Wild
In her memoir Wild Cheryl Strayed describes the sometimes harrowing, other times hilarious stories behind her solo wilderness trek on the Pacific Crest Trail and the personal journey that led her there. In this talk, Strayed will discuss what she learned about how we bear the unbearable, how we move from grief and anger to acceptance, and how we keep walking even when it seems impossible to stand.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
11:30 am pm – 12:15 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
99 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs – Without Skimping
Russell Hannon, Ultra-Economical Travel Expert, Break the Travel Barrier
Known for wowing TV and radio audiences with untold budget travel tips, Ultra-Economical Travel Expert Russell Hannon from breakthetravelbarrier.com offers 99 ways to quickly and easily find the best and least expensive travel options for you. No matter what your travel type is, or where you want to go, you will leave with dozens of practical tips and tricks you can put to work right away to save.
12:45 pm – 1:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
Traveling Smart with Technology
Angel Castellanos, World Traveler, Travel Expert, Writer, AngelsTravelLounge.com
Learn about the best travel technology, travel apps and how-to-use your device abroad from full time traveler Angel Castellanos. Angel Castellanos, The Travel Ambassador, is a travel tech expert with tips to make traveling with your tech easy. Learn to unlock the potential of your device and travel easy and smarter without getting lost in your phone. This informative and popular presentation prepares travelers so they can confidently use their mobile devices as a tool to travel better and easier. Angel will cover the best travel apps to enhance your travels and allow you to communicate effectively without breaking the bank. No matter how tech savvy you are, you will definitely come away with great advice and helpful apps to travel smarter and better with your technology. Join us for this insightful and dynamic presentation. Travel smart, often and well! www.AngelsTravelLounge.com
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Travel Theater
Europe and its Many Don’t-Miss Treasures from Paris to Dubrovnik
Patricia Schultz, Bestselling Author, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and 1,000 Places to See in The USA & Canada Before You Die
The author of the best-selling travel bible, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die, leads us through the highlights of Europe – from its world-class cities like Vienna and St. Petersburg, to lesser known gems like Kinsale in Ireland’s County Cork and Slovenia’s coastal town of Piran on the Adriatic Sea.
Autograph Signing Immediately Following
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater
Travel Trade Secrets to Travel Like The Experts Do
Johnny Jet, Editor-In-Chief, JohnnyJet.com
Join me to learn how to maximize your rewards and credit cards points coupled with savvy travel tips, apps and web sites to travel smarter, cheaper and more comfortably.
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Travel Theater
Beating the Airlines, Hotels and Cruise Lines at Their Own Game, Playing by Their Rules.
Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-Winning Investigative Reporter and Producer and CBS News Travel Editor
How to be a true road warrior at the hottest destinations for 2019.