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Welcome to the third annual Far West Travel Expo. Here’s the latest scoop on the Travel Expo. If you attended the convention in 2003 or 2004, you are probably familiar with the format of the new Travel Expo. Whether you’ve been there before or are new to the Travel Expo, here are some tips for how to get the most out of your experience.

First of all, keep in mind that the Travel Expo is important to the ski industry, therefore we must insure that our time with them is valuable and worthwhile— for both parties. The industry pays a lot of money to participate in our convention. Their future participation and support is based on return value. It’s up to all of us to make sure that their time with us is of value so they will keep coming back. In addition, the Travel Expo serves as a venue that attracts new vendors who will be willing to donate to our conventions in the future.

The Expo—
The Travel Expo is a form where delegates [voting and non-voting] can meet with the ski industry [resorts, operators and suppliers], up close and personal in a pre-scheduled 10-minute appointment format. These appointments are held every 15 minutes on the quarter hour starting at 9:15 AM and ending at 11:15 AM, giving you eight opportunities to meet with the ski industry. We are asking that delegates take advantage of all eight appointments.

There will be a maximum of 4 people per appointment. In some cases, the industry may choose to meet with less than 4 people. Please respect their wishes. We are asking that no one club take all four spots for any one meeting unless the industry requests it.

Signing Up for Appointments—
Your “Travel Expo Passport” will be given to you when you enter the Silent Auction. The Passport is for you to record your appointments. Make sure you also record your appointment on the industry’s sign-up sheet. If you miss the Silent Auction, you can pick up a Passport at Saturday’s registration.

You will have two opportunities to sign up.

Sign up during the Silent Auction on Friday from 7 - 11 PM.


Sign up on Saturday from 8:45 - 9:15 AM during the half hour prior to the start of the Travel Expo.

Meeting Suggestions—
We strongly recommend that you schedule a few resorts, at least one tour operator and a supplier that you have not visited or used before.

If, after the two sign-up periods, your appointment card is not totally booked, use your open times to meet with any industry person who also doesn’t have a scheduled appointment at those times.

If someone from the industry specifically asks you for an appointment, try to accommodate their request.

Expo time should not be used for finalizing a trip already in the works. Use the time on Friday night for this or schedule time with this vendor for another time.

Bring club business cards with you to pass out to the industry.

To facilitate the meeting process, bring a one-page club profile to leave with industry. The profile could be put together by your travel person. Copies should be made for each delegate to be give out at appointments. The profile should include:

Club Name, Address, Internet Address, Email, Phone, President & Travel VP Contact Information, # of trips taken each year, average # of participants per trip, what trips you are planning for 2006, where you went in 2004-2005. Download a sample club profile here.

There will be separate instructions for those involved in the Far West Ski Week Bidding, Man & Woman of the Year judging and the FWRA meeting. These meetings are by invitation only.

Meeting Etiquette—
Remember, even if you are not your club’s travel person, you are representing your club and will be bringing information & recommendations back to your board.

Be on time for your appointment.

Don’t linger past your scheduled time.

Be respectful of others at your appointments and try not monopolize the conversation.

If you see an industry person without an appointment, please take the time to stop, chat for a few minutes, thank them, pick up their literature, ask a question, and leave a business card.

DO NOT, under any circumstances, ask industry to sign your Passport if you haven’t sat down for a meeting with them. This gives them the bad impression that you don’t care about their product/support and are just playing the game.

The Meetings—
The meetings this year will be in the Centennial Ballroom and a couple of break-out rooms. We will attempt to have industry seated in alphabetical order. Announcements will be made for the beginning and end of all appointments.

For those of you who make ALL eight appointments, you will be entered into a drawing for a ground package for one on the trip to Telluride with Far West, February 4-11, 2006.

More Information—
Please contact Bonnie West [562.699.8880 or travel@lacouncil.org] with any questions or suggestions you may have.