Sunday, July 22, 2012

USA, Canada and Alaska Travel Expo - touring Australia


The USA, Canada and Alaska Travel Expo is touring Australia - and it's free!

The first expo was in Brisbane on July 22 and featured many local and North American travel companies. The expo continues around the country and will be stopping at:

Sydney: Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sunday July 29, 10am – 5pm
Gold Coast: Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sunday July 29, 10am – 4pm
Perth: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Sunday August 5, 10am – 4pm
Melbourne: Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Door 1, Sunday August 12, 10am – 5pm
Adelaide: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Sunday August 19, 10am – 4pm

I have discovered that this post runs slowly if viewed on Internet Explorer. It's best viewed on Google Chrome or Firefox (not as fast as Chrome).

The packed expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre, July 22.
List of exhibitors at the Brisbane expo (the number next to each is the stand number at the Brisbane expo).
This list is roughly the same for the other expos but check the expo website.


You are able to compare hundreds of airfares, tours and cruises, and there are many 'on the day' Hot Deals advertised on boards around the expo. While the expo title stipulates USA, Canada and Alaska, the website also mentions Mexico and South America.

A 'Hot Deal' being advertised - there were several of these boards around the expo.


If you're looking to speak with someone about what is on offer, there are scores of consultants in 'Expo Expert' and 'Cruise Expert' T-shirts walking through the crowd and sitting at tables talking people through all the deals and packages on offer. There were also a couple of small enclosed areas - theatrettes - where exhibitors hold short presentations.
An Expo Expert with a traveller at one of the many tables at the expo
where you are able to sit down and talk things through.
A Cruise Expert at work.
A long line of consultants making bookings and assisting with enquiries. 
One of the theatrettes where exhibitors make short presentations.


Looking at the  USA, Canada and Alaska Travel Expo website, the outline for each expo appears to be the same, so what happened at the Brisbane Expo can be an approximation of the rest of Australia.

And it's not all for the adults. Realising many families would be coming along, the Brisbane expo also had a balloon artist and face painting to keep the younger travellers entertained and amused.

The Australian dollar is hovering around parity, which isn't great for the local tourism industry, but if you're keen to look further afield, then getting along to the USA, Canada and Alaska Travel Expo when it passes through your area could be a good thing.

Bon Voyage!

Giulio







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Photos & text by Giulio Saggin (unless otherwise stated)
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