Only 10 spots remain for this year's Global Travel Marketplace. Applications are still being accepted for the annual Travel Weekly event, to be held at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Aug. 21 to 23.
Sister event GTM West will take place May 4 to 6 at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz. Both supplier and travel adviser positions for that event are filled.
"The overwhelming response to our GTM events this year has been incredibly gratifying. Clearly the industry is embracing this unique format, and success stories from our previous events are driving advisors and suppliers to want to be a part of GTM," said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, senior vice president of events, Northstar Travel Group.
GTM is a boutique event that gives pre-approved travel advisers the opportunity to meet new suppliers, build upon relationships with suppliers they know already and network with peers.
A limited number of top-performing advisers are invited to participate. Selected advisers are fully hosted, receiving roundtrip air, a three-night hotel stay, meals, networking opportunities and invitations to events.
Advisers must have $1 million in annual sales to qualify for GTM. Or, a participant can be an owner of a multimillion-dollar agency who actively books travel. All attendees must have the authority to make product and partner decisions.
The event includes two days of one-on-one, pre-scheduled meetings. Advisers have up to 50 face-to-face meetings, each of which lasts 6 minutes.
Advisers also participate in a number of boardroom presentations, in which suppliers meet with roughly a dozen advisers in a collaborative and interactive environment.
GTM is a national event, accepting advisers from throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Advisers can apply at www.globaltravelmarketplace.com, providing supplier references and information about their annual bookings. The next step is a one-on-one telephone interview.