Over 25,000 people headed to the Los Angeles Convention Center this weekend for the 2010 Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show to speak with representatives from hotels, visitor bureaus, travel agents and cruise lines at more than 500 exhibition booths in order to learn about safari adventures to scuba diving, skiing to wine tours, archeology excursions to relaxing on a pristine beach.
With the Internet and online travel sites, one wonders why such a convention is needed anymore, but apparently you can get show only specials and giveaways on travel only at this show. Indeed, many nearby hotels from Temecula, Big Bear Lake, Solvang, Mammoth Lakes, Santa Catalina and even the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel were offering special rates and tours. Plus, inside the West Hall they had an indoor zip line set up, and travel experts like Rick Steves (loved his Scandinavian guide), Arthur and Pauline Frommer and more were on hand to speak. Of course there was also the traditional tschotkes that each booth gave out from posters, maps lip balms, to hand sanitizers or in the case of the Italian tourist board, small bottles of Monini Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
According to a woman working at the Carnival booth, this convention is perfectly timed as January and February is when most people start to think and book their travel for the year ahead. Another tip she provided was that during the summer when families are off, is when their cruises usually book up, so if you're planning to take a summer cruise with the kids, start booking!
I walked away with bags of pamphlets that I've since combed through to compile some travel specials that you can take advantage of, even if you didn't attend the show.
Local offers:
- The charming Apple Farm inn and restaurant in San Luis Obispo, Calif. is offering a country tour of the Central Coast, which visits wineries, a ranch, and a goat and lavender farms. This two night package is available March 14 - June 8, 2010, with hotel arrivals on Sundays or Tuesdays, and tours offered the following Monday or Wednesday for $339 plus tax. Call 800-255-2040 to reserve.
- For skiers and snowboarders, Big Bear Lake is offering lift & lodging packages starting at $69 per person, per night, with double occupancy midweek. Weekend packages start at $89 per person, per night, with double occupancy and a minimum of 2 nights and 2 lift tickets.
- Spring is in the air in Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country from hot-air ballooning, shopping, gambling, spas, golfing and wine tasting. Book now for the best spring and summer deals starting at $69 at this special show link www.visittemecula.org/latimes2010
- Sail the mighty Nile on the five star deluxe M/S Crown Jewel and explore the monuments of Aswan, Kom Ombo, Luxor the largest open museum in the world, and the great pyramids at Giza and discover bustling Cairo for $1,749. 8 day, 6 nights including 3 nights deluxe Nile cruise departing March 1, 15, 29, 2010 or April 12-26, 2010 and includes lodging and roundtrip airfare www.touregypt.us.com