America’s Favorite Travel Shows Have the Most Comprehensive Educational Content That You Can’t Find Anywhere Else..

10:30 am – 11:00 am
Destination Theater

Panama: Live for More

Anna Alfano, Services Coordinator, Visit Panama

Within driving distance of a cosmopolitan city, Panama has a wide range of rainforests, a desert, and breathtaking beaches on both the Caribbean and the Pacific Oceans. Learn about Panama’s new brand platform, Live for More, sustainable tourism circuits and the newest product offerings.

10:30 am – 11:15 am
Savvy Traveler Theater

Cultural & Heritage Travel Coast-to-Coast

Richard Peterson, President & CEO, U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council

Simply stated, cultural & heritage travel inspires and connects each of us. The past two years has transformed the landscape of travel – and vacation planning has also adapted. For many, the travel bucket-list is ready to be checked off – and the planning process is just as important as the journey itself. Join Richard Peterson, President of U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council as we explore the varied facets of America’s diverse & eclectic arts, culture, and heritage experiences. We’ll connect with the people, places and stories that will inspire your inner cultural traveler to go out and explore America.

10:45 am – 11:45 am
Travel Theater

A Special Report from the Master Road Warrior: The Brave New World of Smart Travel, Where You Can Go and Where You MUST Go in the Next Year

Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-Winning Investigative Reporter and Producer and CBS News Travel Editor

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

11:15 am – 11:45 am
Destination Theater

So, you want to go to Antarctica or the High Arctic? Here’s What You Need to Know…

Steve Wellmeier, Managing Director, Poseidon Expeditions USA

There are more choices than ever for the intrepid traveler interested in exploring the polar regions – Antarctica, the Arctic and even the North Pole! With these choices come many questions: what exactly are “the polar regions” and where can we go and what will we do and see on arrival? What kind (and size) of ship do I want to be on? Will the ships and our activities be environmentally friendly? What does the traveler need to know about climate issues, and how these might – or might not – affect tourism operations in the polar regions? Steve will do his best to answer these and many other questions you might have about visiting Antarctica or the Arctic!

11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater

The Best Packing & Travel Tips For Today’s World

Angel Castellanos, World Travel Expert, Writer/TV Host AngelsTravelLounge.com

The World and travel have dramatically changed. You can still make your next trip, the next best trip of your life and “Travel Like a Pro”! Angel Castellanos, The Travel Ambassador, delivers his updated popular and energetic talk on packing tips & savvy travel skills drawing from his experience as a full-time professional traveler – even during the pandemic. This highly informative talk is updated from Angel’s extensive travels and “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 changes in tourism, health safety, de-stressing the airport experience, saving money, sightseeing hacks, traveling with technology and of course updated packing tips for today’s world! 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! AngelsTravelLounge.com

12 Noon – 12:30 pm
Destination Theater

The Islands of Tahiti: Reconnect with Paradise

Kristin Carlson, Managing Director, Tahiti Tourisme North America

The Islands of Tahiti are open to travel and more accessible than ever. If this has been a bucket list destination for you then the time has never been better to plan your dream trip to this untouched paradise. We can help you get started with this informative presentation for the first-time traveler or returning voyager looking to explore more of the 118 islands that make up The Islands of Tahiti. Your trip of a lifetime is beckoning you and it begins here.

12:45 pm – 1:15 pm
Destination Theater

Adventure Awaits in Ireland

Barbara Wood, Manager Western USA, Tourism Ireland

A kayaking trip from dusk into darkness and then into a world of stars that sparkle in the water with bioluminescence. A cycle around a lake overlooked by grand country houses or along one of our Greenways designed for cyclists. A golf adventure at the edge of the Atlantic. A walk along a windswept coastal trail of beautiful, rugged scenery. Visiting Ireland is all about getting outside. Join us to learn more about this island of Ireland’s adventurous side.

12:45 pm – 1:30 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.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Travel Theater

1,000 Places to See Before You Die

Patricia Schultz, Author, “1,000 Places to see Before You Die”
and “1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die”

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Destination Theater

Ever Dream of Visiting Antarctica?

Paul Girouard, Senior Director of Sales – North America, Atlas Ocean Voyages

Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Ever dream of visiting Antarctica? The words you have heard to describe this vast continent aren’t enough. Antarctica is an experience. Only those who have been and dared to take the icy plunge into these remote waters can add their names to a century of exploration where few have gone. It’s time to check the last (seventh) continent off your list if an expedition adventure is what you seek.

Join Atlas Ocean Voyages for an exciting presentation that will inspire you to come along with us on a luxe-adventure journey aboard one of our new ships to explore the incredible wildlife and icy landscape in style. Learn about what it means to be “all-inclusive all the way” with Atlas Ocean Voyages. You bring the dream, and we’ll provide the excitement, pampering and adventure! One lucky attendee will also get to bring a piece of Atlas home with them!

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Travel Writing Workshop –
FAM-TAS Meeting Room – Great America Ballroom

Travel Writing 101: Break into Travel Writing

Elaine Lee, Esq., Editor of “Go Girl: The Black Woman’s Book of Travel and Adventure”

Matthew Félix, Author, Podcaster, Speaker

If you love to travel and love to write, this travel writing course will get you one step closer to learning what it takes to become a travel writer. Let us unwrap the magic of travel writing for you by teaching how to: make your stories sparkle with transportive language, bring characters to life, craft irresistible query emails that will sell your stories, build an online presence, and so much more! Attendees will walk away with the inspiration to launch a travel writing career as well as the tools and strategy to make it a reality.

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater

Take Your Dream Vacation to the Next Level with Private Tours…Spend a Little More and Get a Whole Lot in Return

Julian Douglas, Travel Writer, Photographer, and Experience Curator, Listen, Journey, Savor

Whether you’re looking to explore ancient sights and museums or eat your way across the Italian countryside in a Ferrari, Julian will share how he’s learned to fully maximize what Private Tours have to offer. Your trip really is just that, “your trip.” Do the things you’ve always dreamed of doing, have once in a lifetime experiences, and check off that Bucket List. Today’s Private Tours are more attainable and less expensive than ever before, so skip the lines and fully experience all that your destination has to offer. If you can dream it, a Private Tour will make it happen.

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm
Destination Theater

Alaska, Fantastic in Every Season!

Katy Ouellette, Tourism Sales Associate, Alaska Land & Sea Adventures

Local experts from Anchorage, Alaska share tips on what makes Anchorage a great year-round travel destination! Learn about Aurora viewing, winter adventure tours, and new summer adventure as well! Make this year… ALASKA!

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Destination Theater

Discover Dominican Republic, a Corner of Paradise

Francia Haces, New York Director, Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

Dominican Republic is the second largest and most diverse Caribbean country. Known for our warm and hospitable people, Dominican Republic is a destination like no other, featuring astounding nature, intriguing history, and rich culture.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south, our lush tropical island paradise boasts nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 km) of coastline, 250 miles (402 km) of the world’s top beaches, magnificent resorts and hotels, and a variety of sports, recreation, and entertainment options. Here you can dance to the pulse pounding thrill of the merengue, renew in our luxurious and diverse accommodations, explore ancient relics of centuries past, delight in delicious Dominican gastronomy or enjoy ecotourism adventures in our magnificent national parks, mountain ranges, rivers, and beaches.

3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater

Make 2022 Your Best Travel Year Yet: Travel Tips from a Former Hotelier and Insights on Europe, Mexico, and Bucketlist Cruises Today

Sarah Dandashy, Travel Expert + Creator Ask A Concierge

Ready to travel again? Travel expert, author, and award-winning Concierge, Sarah Dandashy shares the inside scoop on what the travel landscape looks like from a hotel insider’s perspective–what’s changed and how can you can increase your chances of getting that coveted hotel upgrade. She’ll cover exclusive insights that only a former hotelier can reveal, best practices for a smooth trip, the current travel experience, as well as some of the biggest travel trends we can expect moving forward. Sharing her personal experiences cruising in Antarctica, visiting All-Inclusives in Mexico, and traveling throughout Europe, you’ll leave this talk ready to make 2022 your best travel year yet.

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
Travel Theater

The New Age of Travel: How to Enjoy Post-Pandemic Travel

Rudy Maxa, Travel Journalist & Broadcaster

Traveling today is a lot different than it was two years ago. The original Savvy Traveler Rudy Maxa gives you the tips and tricks on how to travel like a pro in 2022.

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Destination Theater

Arctic or Antarctica? How to choose Your Dream Polar Destination

Beth Mercier, Regional Sales Director and Expedition Cruise Specialist

Join Beth Mercier on a journey to the Arctic and Antarctic and learn all about the polar regions including key wildlife and best time of year to go. Choose your preferred ship from our diverse fleet of specially-equipped small expedition vessels and discover our itineraries to some of the most remote destinations on earth . Specializing exclusively in expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, Quark Expeditions® has been the leading innovator of polar adventure since 1991.

4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Savvy Traveler Theater

Why Become a Travel Advisor?

Steve Phillips, Senior Director, Education and Training, KORE Travel Industry Education

It is said that travel is food for the soul. Being a travel advisor allows you to be the provider of that sustenance. Travel advisors spend their days and nights making peoples dreams come true. Maybe it’s a family taking their child to Disney for the first time or helping a couple plan a destination wedding and the honeymoon of their dreams or it could be helping a new retiree plan a multi-generational family trip to Europe to celebrate. Regardless of the reasons that people choose to travel, a travel advisor is instrumental to the process. Travel advisors are dream weavers! Why not make people’s dreams come true all while giving yourself the life, career, and financial independence you so crave and deserve. During this session, Steve Phillips will give you all the insight needed to become a travel advisor and provide you with insights into KORE – an innovative and comprehensive travel industry training program.