90% of exhibit space sold. Registration at 20% ahead of last year; New video series invites key travel buyers to register for May 2011 event.
The San Francisco Travel Association (SF Travel) is in high gear on a marketing campaign designed to attract record-breaking attendance at International Pow Wow, the major marketplace for transacting inbound U.S. travel business coming to San Francisco May 21-25, 2011.
More than 1,100 international and domestic tour operators (or “buyers”) from 70 countries will “shop” the largest travel industry trade show in North America inside Moscone Center, meeting in 70,000 pre-set meetings with representatives from more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations (“suppliers”) from every corner of the U.S. More than 400 international and domestic travel journalists will also attend to report on the event and the destination.
Produced by the U.S. Travel Association, International Pow Wow is expected to generate more than $350 million in tourism for San Francisco over the next three years. In the past three years, the event registered an increasing number of travel organisations and journalists visiting from India. Many mid-size and niche travel and tour operators including top travel Indian companies attended the International Pow Wow in 2010.
“We started putting the word out at International Pow Wow 2010 in Orlando. Buyers received a special letter and a San Francisco CityPASS (www.citypass.com) when they arrived at the convention center,” said Tom Kiely, SF Travel vice president tourism development. “We also had a series of ads and editorial coverage in the Pow Wow Daily newspaper.”
A website, www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/powwow2011, and Facebook page, PowWow2011, contain all the inviting details.
In a modern version of an engraved invitation, SF Travel is creating a series of videos to key international travel buyers, journalists and domestic travel suppliers to build excitement for International Pow Wow in May 2011.
“These brief videos showcase the city in a way that is as unique as San Francisco itself,” Kiely said. “You see a woman unpacking after her trip to San Francisco. In addition to the usual souvenirs, some very unexpected stuff pops out of her suitcase!”
The first video was sent in November to all 2010 and 2009 International Pow Wow attendees. The next was released on January 13 and other will be sent monthly leading up to the event, May 21-25, 2011. The series to date can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/powwow2011.
U.S. Travel is projecting record-breaking attendance for International Pow Wow in San Francisco – some 5,500 people. More than 90% of the exhibit space has been sold. Registration is already 20% above the same time last year.
“For San Francisco’s tourism industry, this is most valuable event we could have,” said SF Travel president and CEO Joe D’Alessandro. “It’s not an especially large group by San Francisco standards – about 5,000 people total – but it is extremely important for the city’s number one industry.”
The U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow in San Francisco is supported by the following Platinum sponsors; San Francisco International Airport, Alcatraz Cruises, California Academy of Sciences, California Travel & Tourism Commission, CityPASS, the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Parks Conservancy, Hornblower Cruises & Events and PIER 39.
The Gold sponsors are Coach America, Hyatt Hotels San Francisco, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Napa Valley Destination Council, North Coast Tourism Council, Port of San Francisco, Red & White Fleet, Starwood Hotels & Resorts-Western Region, Sonoma County Tourism Bureau and Super Sightseeing Tours.
The Silver sponsors are AT&T Park, Boudin San Francisco, Classic Cable Cars and Ride The Ducks, Handlery Union Square Hotel, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Marriott San Francisco Marquis, Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Premium Outlets, Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau, WharfPass and Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.
The Bronze sponsors are: “Beach Blanket Babylon,” Biscuits & Blues, Bloomingdale’s, C-Two Hotel Group, Cova Hotel, Exploratorium, Fairmont San Francisco, GoCar Tours, Go West Tours, Gold Country Visitor’s Association, Hilton Financial District, Holiday Inn Civic Center, Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf, Hotel Abrego, Hotel Whitcomb, Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants, Napa Valley Wine Train, Radisson Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco Symphony, San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf and Westfield San Francisco Properties.
The San Francisco Travel Association is a private, not-for-profit organization that markets the city as a leisure, convention and business travel destination. With more than 1,600 members, San Francisco Travel is one of the largest membership-based tourism promotion agencies in the country. Tourism, San Francisco’s largest industry, generates in excess of $8.5 billion annually for the local economy. The San Francisco
Travel business offices are located at 201 Third St., Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103. The association also operates the Visitor Information Center at Hallidie Plaza, 900 Market Street at the corner of Powell and Market streets. For more information, call 415-974-6900 or visit www.sanfrancisco.travel.
American Express® is the official credit card partner for the San Francisco Travel Association.
Note to editors: To access and download images from the San Francisco Travel Association online photo gallery, click on the link http://www.sfcvb.org/travel_media/photolibrary.asp.
