Suzy Schreiner, owner of Azure Blue Vacations in Bothell, Wash., is a member of the 2018 Global Travel Marketplace Advisory Board, and is one of the events' best success stories. At GTM, she found the inspiration and momentum to really grow her business.
GTM and GTM West are appointment-only events that connect top-producing travel advisers in North America with global travel suppliers in rapid-fire, one-on-one meetings; exclusive Boardroom settings; and a variety of networking opportunities. The intimate, boutique-style events support the best travel professionals in the business, encouraging them to grow their books of business and deliver memorable vacations for their clients.
A hallmark of the GTM events is the incredibly high referral rate among advisers, and Schreiner attended her first GTM as a referral from a past attendee. A relatively seasoned travel adviser, Schreiner perused the GTM supplier list and read some of the testimonials from years prior and realized GTM was the event for her. But she had no idea that it would be a career-changing experience.
According to Schreiner, the impact GTM had on her business was immediate: "As I look at my numbers over the past year, I see that about 55% of my business has been booked with suppliers who attended GTM, and of those, 15% were totally new to me!" The one-on-one appointments sparked ideas on how to enhance her clients' vacation experiences and expand her knowledge and sales of new destinations.
"I thought that GTM was really unique compared to other travel conferences," she said. "The intimate feeling of the Boardroom presentations and one-on-one appointments really made a difference in the quality of the relationships I formed with the suppliers."
"I was also inspired by the other advisers I met at GTM. I am still in touch with many of them."
GTM, the flagship event, is open to travel sellers across North America who own agencies with bookings of $1 million or more or have $1 million in individual annual sales; GTM West is open to advisers in Western U.S. states and Canadian provinces with a minimum of $800,000 in annual individual sales or own an agency meeting the same sales qualifications. The events are owned by Travel Weekly parent company Northstar Travel Group.
Schreiner attended GTM West for the first time in 2014 and was chosen as an Ambassador in 2015. First-time attendees are offered this unique opportunity to be a mentor to new travel advisors at GTM. Only 20% of attendees each year are part of the Ambassador program. She returned to GTM in 2017 as an alumna and was subsequently chosen for the advisory board. This year she will attend GTM in Fort Lauderdale.
According to post-event survey statistics, all of the advisers and suppliers attending the shows expect new business or have already booked new business after GTM, but the peer relationships are equally as important. "The travel advisers who attend GTM are professional and successful in their own right," said Schreiner. "They are there to learn and to bring home ideas for how to improve their clients' experiences."
Schreiner said she has had some fantastic discussions with attendees from all over the U.S. and Canada, some of which inspired her to go out on her own and focus on the areas of travel that interest her the most. "It was through these conversations that I pursued my passions in travel and was able to build my own business," she added.
"Travel professionals would be hard-pressed to find a conference that delivers like GTM does," Schreiner said. "You're exposed to not only the biggest names in the industry, but also to unique and niche hotels, tour operators, destinations and cruise lines around the world." She said she would especially recommend GTM to travel advisers who are looking to branch out into new areas of travel. "The more we educate ourselves, the better we can create meaningful travel experiences for our clients, and create trust and loyalty that lasts a lifetime."
GTM West will be held at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas May 15 through 17, and GTM will be held at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale July 12 through 14. Applications for both events are now open. Travel advisers who are selected to attend are fully hosted, including airfare, hotel and all meals during the event. To learn more and to apply, visit www.globaltravelmarketplace.com.