The World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) will host the first annual World Religious Travel Expo & Educational Conference, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2008, in Orlando. As the first international event of its kind, it will feature hundreds of travel wholesalers, suppliers, tourist boards, agencies and group travel organizers from the $18 billion faith tourism industry.

“Although religious tourism is one of history’s oldest travel segments, no large-scale trade convention has ever been held for this 300-million traveler market,” said Kevin J. Wright, WRTA president. “All market segments will be represented at the Expo, including pilgrimage, cruising, missions, leisure vacations, attractions, conferences, retreats, Christian camps, and volunteer vacations, among others.”

The WRTA Expo will feature two venues: The International Tradeshow and The Educational Conference. The combined event will provide the first world-class forum for travel suppliers, destinations, wholesalers, agencies and church travel planners to come face-to-face, develop partnerships, find new products and services, generate new qualified leads and build long-term profitable relationships. Wright expects the tradeshow to become the annual gathering for exhibiting, networking and brand building in the vast faith tourism industry.

“Whether cruising as a single, couple, family, group, or even a full-ship charter, the World’s Leading Cruise Lines (Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruise, and the Yachts of Seabourn) provide an excellent vacation experience for faith-based travelers,” said Jack Anderson, vice president of marketing for Carnival Corporation. “We are pleased to be a sponsor of the World Religious Travel Association and appreciate the choice of our lines by faith-based travelers and travel agencies.”

“As a Holy Land destination that provides a one-stop location to meet all the needs of faith-based travelers – from cruising to adventure, retreats to study tours and all the segments in between – we are delighted to sponsor the WRTA Expo,” added Malia Asfour, director of the Jordan Tourism Board of North America (JTBNA), a WRTA charter member. “We look forward to working with WRTA to showcase fresh and unique travel opportunities for this dynamic and growing industry.”

The Educational Conference will provide the most comprehensive learning program ever offered on religious tourism – for both trade and consumer. Through leading industry speakers, dynamic presentations, panel discussions, interactive break-out sessions, seminars and peer networking forums, the trade participants can expand their knowledge of the opportunities in the new niche markets within faith tourism. Participants can listen to and discuss with travel experts market trends, marketing intelligence, the latest products/services and actionable ways to exceed faith-based customer’s expectations. Group planners will attend product seminars hosted by travel industry experts, while also learning how to enrich and expand their travel ministry programs.

“Both faith tourism and group travel have evolved over the last several decades with obvious synergy, so it makes perfect sense for Brennan Vacations to sponsor the WRTA Expo in order to lead and facilitate the faith travel industry’s growth,” said Robert F. Brennan, Founder of Brennan Vacations. “Since 1978, our goal has been simple – to provide fresh, authentic journeys of discovery by treating our customers as individuals, while providing the benefits of group travel. Our approach particularly resonates with religious groups, and I look forward to continuing the tradition through our participation in the industry’s first international faith travel tradeshow and educational conference.”

The Expo will be hosted Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2008 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Exhibitors will include tour operators, tourist boards, cruise lines, transportation companies, airlines, travel agencies, event planning services, hotels and accommodations, missionary agencies, travel insurance companies and faith-based destinations among others.