Maximizing My Convention Experience

What you need to know...

Select your category to see how to make the most of your days in Montreal.
Look for new ways to partner for greater overall success.
NTA and WRTA-two shows, new markets all in one trip.

Convention '10 in Montreal offers valuable networking events and educational sessions every day. But, if budget (or time constraints) might be dictating your time in Montreal, use these pointers to maximize your time at Convention '10!

When to Arrive
Sightseeing is on Saturday, the schedule for Convention '10 has been streamlined to group business opportunities together for maximizing the time spent away from the office. Select your category below to see how you can best spend your time in Montreal.

Tour Operators
Suppliers
DMOs
All Attendees

Tour Operators

Find the description below that best describes your goals for Convention to see how you can maximize your time in Montreal:

I am interested in operator-focused education and partnering.

Saturday, November 13, is tour operator day. This is the day to access operator-focused educational sessions, the Buyer-to-Buyer Exchange for operator partnering, a networking luncheon, sightseeing for product planning in our host city and access to the World Religious Travel Expo.

I am interested in the operator-focused aspect as well as working with destinations from more than 40 countries for new product planning.

Operators with those goals in mind can come in for three days-Saturday, Sunday and Monday-and get a lot of business done.

Saturday (Nov. 13) is tour operator day. This is the day to access operator-focused educational sessions, the Buyer-to-Buyer Exchange for operator partnering, a networking luncheon, sightseeing for product planning in our host city and access to the World Religious Travel Expo.

On Sunday and Monday (Nov. 14, 15), you can meet with DMOs from every U.S. state, Canadian province and many countries in the enhanced Destination Pavilion. Ensure your appointments are scheduled with the destinations where you want to plan product by blocking states, provinces or countries where you don't intend to do business. You can even block complete Destination Pavilion sessions to give you more open time to walk through the Pavilion and meet with DMO partners you select.

Part of Monday is devoted to free shopping time for operators to continue developing new products and itineraries on the floor and visit the exhibitors in the Convention Mall. So, in just three days, you can meet with operator partners and plan new itineraries through DMO appointments and Destination Pavilion shopping.

I am interested in planning complete itineraries and partnering with operator colleagues.

With this goal, you will want to commit to the full week of Convention.

Round out your itineraries on Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov. 16, 17) by meeting with suppliers in the Tour & Travel Exchange. The five-day schedule gives you the chance to do it all-new operators to partner with, education, product planning and a customized schedule of business appointments!

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Tour Suppliers

Based on the goals you have for Convention, you can spend two to four days on the NTA Convention floor.

Two days (Nov. 16-17)
If your goal is only to participate in the 7-minute prescheduled appointments of the Tour & Travel Exchange you will want to be in Montreal all day Tuesday and Wednesday.

Three Days (Nov. 15-17)
To add the appointments of the 5-minute Fast Pitch session and be on the floor to partner with your DMOs during the enhanced Destination Pavilion you will want to be in Montreal all day Monday as well.

Four Days (Nov. 14-17)
To be on the floor at anytime it is open for business and networking, you will want to participate in both days of the Destination Pavilion on Sunday and Monday.

There are networking and educational opportunities throughout the entire week. However, the streamlined schedule allows you to customize your Convention.

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DMOs

Based on the goals you have for Convention, you can spend two to four days on the NTA Convention floor.

Two Days (Nov. 14-15)
If your goal is only to participate in the 10-minute prescheduled appointments of the enhanced Destination Pavilion, you'll want to ensure you're in Montreal all day Sunday and Monday.

Four Days (Nov. 14-17)
To be on the floor anytime it is open for business and networking, you will want to participate in both days of the Tour & Travel Exchange on Tuesday and Wednesday. You can schedule added appointments during the Exchange during the Appointment Scheduling session on Tuesday morning.

There are networking and educational opportunities throughout the entire week. However, the streamlined schedule allows you to customize your Convention.

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Partnering = Success

Take advantage of these added partnership opportunities at Convention '10.

For tour operators, the Buyer-to-Buyer Exchange continues the great tradition of operator partnering at NTA with the opportunity to develop lucrative partnerships with your NTA operator colleagues plus the buyers of WRTA.

During the Destination Pavilion and the Tour & Travel Exchange, operators can partner with their supplier and DMO colleagues to build new product and itineraries designed for today's consumers.

Suppliers and DMOs can partner up in the Destination Pavilion to build packaged travel product for the buyers right on the floor. The regional format and NTA's open business floor allow DMOs to pull destinations or suppliers in their city or region into appointments to help plan itineraries that will result in more business for everyone.

Two Shows in One

For the second year, WRTA's World Religious Travel Expo will be joining NTA's Convention. Access more buyers and new markets without leaving the convention center. And, this year, everyone can access WRTA for no added cost!

With two shows, new buyers and new markets to tap all in one place, is there a better value than Convention '10?