What are travel trade shows?

Travel trade shows are professional gatherings that are aimed at attracting accommodation providers, industry experts, and technology providers. Typically, these groups will interact with each other to share experiences and knowledge, and to learn new skills. Most trade shows will have a theme or central focus, such as expos which highlight particular products or thought-leadership shows that feature data and trends.

Make the most of travel trade show learnings by using leading software

Use Little Hotelier’s all-in-one solution to automate manual work and provide strategic insights to boost revenue at your property.

Learn more

Why should you attend travel conferences?

When you attend a travel conference, you get the chance to discover vital insights or solutions that can improve the performance of your hotel business, leadership, and staff.

Running a successful small accommodation business can be aided by networking, relationship building, and discovering new innovations. Speaking to potential guests, suppliers and even competitors can lead to a variety of opportunities to increase performance. 

Some of the perfect places to do this are at travel trade shows – where you can learn about new strategies, cutting-edge technology, and listen to new perspectives.

What happens at travel industry conferences?

Generally, travel industry conferences will include stands where meetings or demonstrations can be held, and also stages where speeches and panel discussions take place.

Attendees will usually choose to visit the stands and talks that interest them most, since there’s often not enough time to experience everything.

There’s also the opportunity to network in a more informal way during breaks or scheduled sessions. Often food and beverages will be available, which allows everyone to convene and start conversations.

How to register and attend business travel conferences

To register and attend a business travel conference, it all starts with a purpose and research.

Here are some steps to take:

  • Decide what type of conference you’re looking for and what you want to learn
  • Decide if you’re willing to travel to a conference and how far
  • Know when you have the time and budget to attend a conference
  • Find reputable and renowned conferences

Usually a google search will provide some lists of popular conferences that may be available to you – or you can check the websites of specific brands or experts to see which events they are attending. Another avenue to find conferences is to connect with local associations and see what information they have.

For example, Little Hotelier attends plenty of conferences throughout the year and would love to see you there. Check out our events page for a full list of upcoming conferences.

The registration process will usually take place on the website of the conference itself or via the websites of the brand or individuals who will be in official attendance. Some conferences will require a registration fee, while others are free.

Once you’re registered, you should get a follow-up email and some reminder emails closer to the dates so you don’t forget. You might also have the chance to book appointments with vendors or select specific parts of the event that you want to participate in.

Australian travel industry trade shows

Australia, headquarters of Little Hotelier, has its own thriving travel industry and accompanying trade shows.

Here are some you may be interested in:

Maximum Occupancy

Where: Perth (Australia), Sydney (Australia), Auckland (New Zealand)

When: 16 April 2024, 23-24 July 2024, 25-26 February 2025

Maximum Occupancy is the place where the Asia-Pacific accommodation industry comes to meet. 

Across three dates and locations, the conference features 100+ global experts sharing secrets on how accommodation providers can maximise market share, direct bookings, and revenue.

It’s also an opportunity to network with both domestic and international attendees.

VTIC 2024 Vision Summit

Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Victoria

When: 16 April 2024

Victoria Tourism Industry Council has partnered with Tourism Australia to produce a show that will be focusing on growth as a theme.

The summit will inspect the key factors influencing tourism growth in the region over the next four years, giving attendees an idea of how they can take advantage of the opportunities.

Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE)

Where: Adelaide Oval, South Australia

When: 1-2 May 2024

In its 15th edition, this conference brings leading industry experts to speak to more than 1400 attendees about the most crucial topics that accommodation providers are tackling.

It’s a time to learn, inspire, network, and succeed so make sure you don’t miss out!

USA travel and tourism trade shows

The USA has one of the biggest tourism industries in the world and too many travel and tourism trade shows to mention. But here are a few highlights on the calendar:

Boutique Hotel Investment Conference

Where: New York City

When: 5 June

This conference aims to spark dialogue among clients, investors, and collaborators and discuss new business models and tools for hoteliers.

Attendees of the event will learn essential boutique hospitality investment information.

HITEC (The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference)

Where: Charlotte, North Carolina

When: 24-27 June

The world’s biggest and oldest hotel tech show visits the USA in 2024.

With exclusive presentations, speakers, and technology showcases, it’s the perfect place to find education and resources to help your property grow and thrive in today’s market.

Boutique Hotel Owners Conference

Where: Los Angeles, California

When: 30 September – 1 October

Formerly known as the Boutique Lifestyle Leadership Conference, this conference brings global leaders and followers in the boutique hospitality space together to discuss hotel ownership, management, and innovation. 

Travel and tourism conferences where you can meet Little Hotelier

Independent Hotel Show

Where: Miami, Florida

When: 18-19 September

This show is entirely dedicated to the needs of luxury and boutique hoteliers. 

Attendees will enjoy a curated collection of innovative products and service providers to gather expert insight from hotel leaders discussing design and innovation. 

NoVacancy 

Where: ICC, Sydney

When: 18-19 September

Another strong contender for the best event for independent hoteliers to attend this year is the NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Industry Expo, held in Sydney just as winter gives way to spring.

This expo is fantastic for independent hoteliers who are interested in the latest industry innovations. The extensive two-day agenda features the hottest new industry tech, over 100 speakers sharing fascinating insights, and more networking opportunities than you can poke a stick at.

At the NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Industry Expo you get to be the guest, and will be treated to product demos and ideas that have the potential to change the way you run your hotel.

TTG Travel Experience 

Where: Rimini, Italy

When: 9-11 October

TTG Travel Experience is one of Italy’s most important shows, bringing the whole tourism community together to promote global tourism.

With exhibits, installations, training, and cultural initiatives all in place, it’s one not to miss. Meet, discuss, listen, and learn!

Advantages of joining travel trade shows

Notwithstanding the social benefits and the chance to pick up some free merchandise, there are plenty of professional advantages of joining travel trade shows.

Here are the three biggest reasons to attend:

Develop and improve your industry presence

It helps you develop brand awareness and improve your recognition in the industry. Most of the people who attend travel industry trade shows are involved in the industry in some way, whether they are agents, distributors, tour operators, or hoteliers. When you make it a point to attend or participate in trade shows, you are able to showcase your brand and improve your recognition amongst a variety of industry professionals.

By raising awareness about your brand within the travel industry, you will be able to acquire more bookings through your distribution network. It’s important to remember that other businesses in the travel industry are not necessarily your direct competitors, but rather partners that you can use to develop your brand identity around the globe.

Boost your property’s bookings

It allows you to network with other individuals who can help you boost your bookings. Depending on the travel and hotel events that you attend, you will have access to a diverse range of people within the industry as well as travellers who are simply interested in booking their next trip.

At trade shows, for example, you may network with distributors and travel agents who will relay information about your brand to their clients who might be interested in a location just like yours for their next trip.

At travel conferences, you may encounter interested travellers who are looking for a local place with charm and atmosphere to stay. It’s an easy way to increase your bookings across the board.

Conduct valuable market research

It’s an ideal place to conduct market testing and complete research on new products, packages and services you may be considering. Perhaps, you are considering offering a new experience at your property.

Create promotional products and marketing materials for this new experience to distribute at the trade shows. In addition, you may want to offer a discount or promo code to see if it helps entice people to book with you and add this experience to their package.

This is a simple and cost-effective way to conduct market research, and you can determine whether it will be worthwhile to implement this experience at your hotel in the future.

Put your travel industry conference learnings into action with all-in-one software

Travel industry conferences are wonderful opportunities to learn how to run your property better. Whether it’s gaining a better understanding of strategies or becoming aware of new perspectives that will be impactful.

But even if you come away with great ideas, you need to be able to implement them effectively – you need the help of the best technology in the industry.

Little Hotelier is one such example. It’s an all-in-one solution designed specifically for small accommodation providers. With Little Hotelier you’ll have:

  • Streamlined management: Little Hotelier simplifies hotel operations, combining key tasks into one easy-to-use platform, freeing up time for guest engagement.
  • Boosted direct bookings: The software enhances direct bookings through an integrated booking engine, reducing reliance on third-party commission fees.
  • Insightful analytics: Little Hotelier offers actionable analytics, empowering small hoteliers with data to make informed decisions and tailor their strategies for maximum impact.

You can even get started for free and see the benefits in no time!

Try for free Learn more

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).