Release 11
Alexandria, Va., May 26, 2006 –THETRADESHOW
(Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) partners are pleased to announce
that Rick Steves, a well-known advocate on budget travel, will be speaking
at the show’s consumer day on Sept. 10, 2006. Steves is the host,
writer and producer of the highly-acclaimed television show, Rick Steves’
Europe, and has written numerous travel books on traveling to Europe on
a budget.
“We are ecstatic to have Rick Steves speak at
THETRADESHOW Consumer Day,” said U.S.
Tour Operators Association (USTOA) President, Robert Whitley, CTC. “For
30 years Steves has been educating the public about affordable ways to
travel to Europe, and he will be a great asset to the dynamic audience
expected to attend.”
"I'm excited to have the opportunity to share my
ideas at the ASTA conference about why travel in a post-Sept. 11 world
is more important than ever,” said Rick Steves. “I have spent
a third of my adult life exploring Europe, and look forward to speaking
about how American travelers can enjoy maximum travel experience for every
mile, minute and dollar on their next vacation."
For the past 15 years, Steves has hosted more than 100
travel shows for public television and multiple pledge specials. Travels
In Europe With Rick Steves was the first public television show that Steves
appeared on. His current show, Rick Steves’ Europe, focuses on world
travel, and each segment has a guest travel expert for interviews, followed
by call-ins with questions and comments. He is a frequent guest on television
and radio shows, and is known as “the leading authority on independent
European travel.” Steves is the best-selling author of 30 European
travel books and encourages all of his readers to become “temporary
locals.” The first book Steves wrote was in 1980 titled, “Europe
Through the Back Door.”
Steves has written 12 country guidebooks, nine city
and regional guides, six phrase books, and co-authored “Europe 101:
History and Art for Travelers.” His Italy guidebook is the best-selling
international guidebook in the United States. In 1999, Steves also started
producing anecdotal postcards from Europe, recounting his favorite moments
from 25 years of travel. In addition to guidebooks, Steves writes for
various magazines and newspapers, is a contributing writer for ABCNews.com
and is a regular on the op-ed page of USA Today.
In 1976 Rick Steves started a business by himself called
Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD) that is now a company of 60 people.
ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, Web site
(www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide and free travel newsletters.
Steves lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Wash.,
where his office window overlooks his old junior high school. He lives
with his wife Anne and two children, Andy and Jackie.
THETRADESHOW will take
place the second week of September every year and will be held in Orlando
(Sept. 10-12, 2006) in even years and Las Vegas (Sept. 9-12, 2007) in
odd years. THETRADESHOW will host more than
3,000 travel sellers and 1,000 consumers in just three days at one site.
Created from the partnership of the leading travel associations, THETRADESHOW
will include two full days of open floor trade show, business-to-business
appointments, a trade and consumer day (Sunday) and two trade only days
(Monday and Tuesday). Travel sellers will have the opportunity to meet
one-on-one with suppliers and to learn in-depth about their products.
The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA),
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Adventures in Travel Expo
(ATE), International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), ITB Berlin,
Modern Agent, Travel Trade, Travel Weekly, National Association
of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA), National Tour Association (NTA),
Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), The Travel Institute, U.S.
Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and USA Today have signed on as partners
of THETRADESHOW.
For more information on THETRADESHOW,
call 1.866.870.9333 or visit www.THETRADESHOW.org.
THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing
And Destination Expo) is a 3-day, in-depth networking and educational
event. Global and inclusive, THETRADESHOW
unites under one roof travel suppliers and buyers from all over the world,
representing every segment of the travel and tourism industry. It is the
trade show event for travel decision makers.
Contact: Kristina Rundquist/Liz Connolly 703.739.8710
www.THETRADESHOW.org
