Explorations brings the party to ASTA THETRADESHOW
Hot and sticky.
That’s what stands out most when I reflect back on the four days I spent last week in Orlando, Florida, attending the Travel Bloggers Show and ASTA’s THETRADESHOW.
Aside from the heat and a few cool lightening shows, I had a busy few days walking the trade show floor; meeting face to face with travel editors that I have known from phone calls and email over the years; and putting the finishing touches on a party that Collette was hosting on Monday evening for travel agents and media announcing the launch of our Explorations small group tours.
My main priority at the party was making sure the “experiences” planned for that evening went off without a hitch. You see, Explorations tours are all about the experiences – those memorable moments that immerse you in the culture of a destination. Of course, many of these experiences are not easily replicated in a convention center room.
But we try.
Guests at the party enjoy a wine tasting of different varieties from Italy, California and Australia. Wine tastings and culinary experiences are a big part of the Explorations brand. Even the food served is tied into an Explorations tour. Black bean and vegetable spring rolls representative of Costa Rica, grilled prawns from Australia, crab wontons from China, and chicken brochette symbolizing food you might eat while traveling in Provence, France.
Rachael demonstrates tai chi, an art form described as “moving meditation”, to anyone who wanders her way; an experience that travelers on the Explorations tour to China and Tibet can participate in. And Tony, our Bondi Beach Life Saver, is a good sport having his photo taken with party guests who were then presented with their memento. Thanks to Norma and our tourism partner, Tourism New South Wales, for their assistance with the Let’s Go Surfing experience. And thanks to the great staff I had the pleasure of working with at the Orlando Orange County Convention Center!
In addition to the experiences, party guests listen to a presentation on Explorations so that they can return hom and educate their clients on its many advantages — like unique destinations and complimentary roundtrip home to airport sedan service. Dan Sullivan, Collette president and CEO, and Melissa Snape, executive vice president of product, outline the brand to the industry crowd and debut a video highlighting the tours.
The night concludes with a drawing for a trip for two, land only, on Explorations California’s Wine Country tour. Congratulations to winner Sheila Targan of Maryland, president of Cruise Alert, Inc. Enjoy!
For any travel agents out there that attended ASTA’s THETRADESHOW and/or the Explorations launch party, I’d love to hear from you! For prospective travelers reading this post, if small groups and big experiences appeal to you, be sure to visit your local travel agent and ask them about Explorations.
Check out our video for a quick peek at the party. We’ll be doing something similar at the Travel Weekly Leisure World show in Atlantic City next month!
posted by Melissa McKee
Collette Vacations
Tags: 2010, ASTA, California, Collette, Collette's Executive Team, Food, Italy, Let's Go Surfing, The Travel Bloggers Show, THETRADESHOW10, Tourism new South Wales, Video
