New this year at THETRADESHOW which will take place September 7-9, 2008 in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center, will be the complimentary Global Business Day on Tuesday, September 9 at 1:45 p.m., which is open to all international travel agent attendees with a goal of helping them increase global contacts and networking opportunities.

“The Global Business Day is a great way to find new business. As an attendee, you are able to network with other agents and suppliers from around the world. To have an event dedicated to developing business contacts means THETRADESHOW is more relevant than ever,” said Tom Jenkins, president and CEO of THETRADESHOW partner, ETOA.

Forming relationships is what business is all about. This unique event, open to all international attendees of THETRADESHOW, will include one-on-one interaction with U.S. agents, international agents and worldwide suppliers to help attendees expand their connections and grow their business, including a special section on the trade show floor where international agents can meet with U.S. agents with whom they have made advance appointments online.
 
The Global Business Day will headline with the International Travel Agent Summit where agents will begin networking by participating in roundtable discussions on important topics such as how to improve marketing reach and issues international agents have to face in day-to-day business, such as international credit card concerns and international GDS issues. Attendees will also receive an overview of ASTA’s online business tools. In addition to the on-site networking, all Global Business Day attendees will be listed in a special directory that all other international agents, U.S. agents and suppliers at the conference will be able to review on line after the conference.

At THETRADESHOW agents will have the chance to enrich their business with a combination of education, sightseeing and networking events centered on the global reach of the travel industry. The exhibition floor offers vital interaction with hundreds of U.S. and international suppliers, enabling agents to secure more business and contacts.

THETRADESHOW is created and supported by the travel industry’s leading organizations, including: ACTA, ATA, AirTran, ASTA, Adventures In Travel Expo, Canada Travel Press, CLIA, Destination UK Ltd, ETOA, eTurbo News, IGLTA, JAXFAX, ONLY Vegas, MailPound, NACTA, NBTA, NTA, ORLANDO, Recommend, SATH, TourismCares, Travel Age West, Travel Channel, The Travel Institute, TIA, TPOC, Travel Trade, TRAVEL WEEKLY, Turisver Trade Tourism Magazine, USA Today, USTOA and Vacation.com. Official media partners are: Agent@Home, vacationagent and ModernAgent.