Luxury Travel Expo, Las Vegas Nevada
LUXURY TRAVEL EXPO
LAS VEGAS, NV 7-9 DECEMBER 2010
This travel expo was aimed at the tour guide, travel agency or any organization sponsoring trips. It is highly educational for those of us who would like to plan trips to luxurious places around the world and arrive in style. There are companies only too happy to rent you a private jet at competitive rates (they say); there are companies that will handle your luggage from door to door; there were two companies that we saw that are willing to provide all kinds of insurance (travel, medical,) to make the trip more secure. Of course, American Express was well represented to provide all types of help in your travel.
Then came the fun part: every country, every island, with places that some of us have never heard of was represented to encourage you to visit and spend money there. Who can resist a visit to the Burj Al Arab on the Arabian Gulf? This most luxurious hotel in the world can entice even the most seasoned traveler. All one needs for any of the trips is a few steps above the Platinum Card! If this hotel does not suit you, how about the Plaza Suites in Mexico City? No clue how safe the streets are now, but the Hotel is great looking. Of course, once one is in the luxury travel class the individual (or family) will use a Luxury Travel Planner. The individual can then plan exciting trips through Peru, scuba diving in Egypt, island hoping in Indonesia, or relax at the Blanc Hotel in Cancun after an exhausting vacation. This Expo provides an endless list of possible places to visit, stay at luxurious resorts, find great restaurants, and travel guides to make the trip perfect.
It would be hard to resist a Premier Escorted Tour of Japan! These tours, as suggested by their representatives, remove the danger of canceled reservations, missed flights, or related problems such as getting admission to the places one wishes to see. These tours are offered around the world and are an easy way for the older individual to travel safely. Just bring your Platinum Plus card! This type of travel makes bringing children along much easier also.
An eye opener for us was the huge Disney booth providing much information about the travel opportunities well beyond a visit to Disneyland in California. There are now Disney cruises, Adventures by Disney providing Guided Family Vacations throughout the world. These trips are all planned with things for the whole family to enjoy.
As briefly mentioned earlier, there are also travel agencies that plan trips to niche resorts: scuba diving, skiing, sports, and so on. As a fan of the Sound of Music, it was fun to see the Trapp Family Resort represented. Unfortunately, the Ski booth had no information about Brian Head! Hopefully, that shall be corrected soon.
The Expo was well planned, provided great information, and while wandering around one could enjoy some colorful costumes and listen to native music from various regions around the world. Our hats of off to the planners of this Expo. While not mentioned too often, may places have felt the sting of the down economy and one hopes that improves soon. On a somewhat personal note we realized again just how big and varied our world is and how little of it we have seen. We also marvel at how much the computer has changed travel, not only for the industry but also the individual or family. There are companies that monitor parents or other family members while their offspring travel; some provide videos or video conferencing. It is a big world, but made much more manageable by the computer.
John Lustig, Senior Reporter
Anne Leona, Reporter