If you have a question about Showcase and can't find the answer here, please email us or contact Travel South USA at 404.231.1790.
3500 Piedmont Rd. NE, Suite 210
Atlanta, GA 30305
Tel: 404-231-1790
Fax: 404-231-2364
E-mail: [email protected]
Travel South Showcase is a regional appointment-style marketplace focused on increasing travel to and within the southern states. Showcase offers the most targeted opportunity for tour operators / wholesalers and travel service providers to meet face to face with southern travel suppliers.
Travel South Showcase is an invitation-only event. First-time Supplier companies must be approved by their respective state tourism office as a destination marketing organization (DMO), attraction, hotel, or restaurant in the state and maintain a business address in one of the southern states in the Travel South USA region. National organizations are extended invitations if they maintain a regional office in the south or more than 75% of the business is in the south.
Professional Tour Operators (Buyers) are extended invitations at the discretion of Travel South USA and are subject to review by the Showcase Task Force Committee. Only Buyers who meet the specific requirements outlined by the Showcase Planning Committee are considered. We invite senior level personnel, such as owners and senior management as well as product development managers, charter tour planners, outside sales representatives and group tour specialists.
All attendees must be at least 21 years of age and an employee or contractor of the member organization and must receive income for his/her service and/or serve as a member of the organization's governing body.
The southern state tourism offices own and produce Travel South Showcase. It is a marketing program designed to “showcase” tourism organizations state by state and connect Buyers and Sellers to bring more visitors to the south.
The Marketplace show floor is arranged in state aisles with each aisle uniquely decorated with consistent floral arrangements to show continuity. The state office of tourism representative is the primary contact for the decorations. Travel industry suppliers have booths, and the buyers and journalists walk the floor and move from supplier booth to supplier booth for their appointments.
Travel Service Providers (advertising media and online providers) are very important and help create consumer demand for southern destinations; therefore their booths are located in the center of the show floor.
You should plan to arrive by Sunday March 8, 2020 and stay until Wednesday morning, March 11, 2020 to take full advantage of all the destination marketing and networking opportunities.
Register as soon as possible after online registration begins! Travel South Showcase is typically sold out before the end of the year and could even close prior to the end of the early-bird registration pricing period.
For North American Buyers, online registration begins Wednesday, July 10, 2019 and the early-bird pricing deadline for Buyer registration is November 22, 2019. Journalist registration begins on August 14, 2019 and spaces fill quickly. Supplier and Travel Service Provider online registration begins September 4, 2019 and the Supplier early-bird pricing deadline is December 13, 2019. If space is still available, beginning December 14, 2019 registration is first-come, first-serve until Marketplace is sold out.
Travel South Showcase does not sell day passes, event passes or partial registrations.
The Domestic Marketing Village at Marketplace is the meeting and gathering place on the show floor and it located in the highest visible position. Travel Service Provider booths form a ring around the area and our refreshment lounge is located in the center of the booths. The food and beverage guarantees traffic through the area.
If you have participated in Showcase in the past, contact [email protected] to have the information sent via e-mail. If you are new to Travel South Showcase and did not receive an invitation e-mail, click here to request a registration application. Once eligibility has been verified, a registration link will be sent.
Ensure that all pop-up blockers have been disabled and discuss the situation with the person in your company that handles technology issues. In select circumstances, the Travel South staff can manually enter your registration and appointment schedule, however, profile information about delegates, both tour operators and suppliers are only available on-line in your Showcase Passport.
Most likely, Travel South Showcase is not on your ‘safe’ email list. Consult with the person handling IT for your company and request that *@TravelSouthUSA.com and*@TeamEventManagement.com be added to your safe list and confirm that both addresses have been white listed with your email administrator.
More than 18,000 appointment are pre-scheduled for the four Showcase Marketplace sessions. Beginning on January 22, 2020 and ending February 21, 2020, all appointment-taking delegates have the opportunity to electronically research and request appointments with the organizations they most want to meet with during Marketplace. Our automated scheduling system matches appointment requests and schedules nearly 100% of all mutually requested appointments and 90% of all Buyer requested appointments — giving you quality appointments.
Travel South Showcase gives you the flexibility of requesting your appointments on our website allowing you to change and update your requests up until the minute they are scheduled. Once again this year, you will see which companies have requested your organization, allowing you to continually update your requests in order to gain more mutual appointments.
Of the more than 18,000 appointment requests that are pre-scheduled, we instruct the computer-matching program to process appointments in the following order:
You have 7 minutes to discuss business one-on-one and open doors for future business in the pre-scheduled appointments. Buyers and Journalists have 2 minutes to move to the next appointment.
What is Travel South USA?
Travel South USA is the official regional destination marketing organization for the southern United States. The non-profit organization promotes travel to and within its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Travel South USA serves as an information source for journalists, tour operators, retail travel agents and other travel professionals.
How can I contact Travel South USA?
3500 Piedmont Rd. NE, Suite 210Atlanta, GA 30305
Tel: 404-231-1790
Fax: 404-231-2364
E-mail: [email protected]
What is the Travel South Showcase?
Travel South Showcase is a regional appointment-style marketplace focused on increasing travel to and within the southern states. Showcase offers the most targeted opportunity for tour operators / wholesalers and travel service providers to meet face to face with southern travel suppliers.
Who is eligible to attend?
Travel South Showcase is an invitation-only event. First-time Supplier companies must be approved by their respective state tourism office as a destination marketing organization (DMO), attraction, hotel, or restaurant in the state and maintain a business address in one of the southern states in the Travel South USA region. National organizations are extended invitations if they maintain a regional office in the south or more than 75% of the business is in the south.Professional Tour Operators (Buyers) are extended invitations at the discretion of Travel South USA and are subject to review by the Showcase Task Force Committee. Only Buyers who meet the specific requirements outlined by the Showcase Planning Committee are considered. We invite senior level personnel, such as owners and senior management as well as product development managers, charter tour planners, outside sales representatives and group tour specialists.
All attendees must be at least 21 years of age and an employee or contractor of the member organization and must receive income for his/her service and/or serve as a member of the organization's governing body.
How is Travel South Showcase different than other marketplace shows?
The southern state tourism offices own and produce Travel South Showcase. It is a marketing program designed to “showcase” tourism organizations state by state and connect Buyers and Sellers to bring more visitors to the south. The Marketplace show floor is arranged in state aisles with each aisle uniquely decorated with consistent floral arrangements to show continuity. The state office of tourism representative is the primary contact for the decorations. Travel industry suppliers have booths, and the buyers and journalists walk the floor and move from supplier booth to supplier booth for their appointments.
Travel Service Providers (advertising media and online providers) are very important and help create consumer demand for southern destinations; therefore their booths are located in the center of the show floor.
When should I arrive and how long should I stay?
You should plan to arrive by Sunday March 8, 2020 and stay until Wednesday morning, March 11, 2020 to take full advantage of all the destination marketing and networking opportunities.
When do I need to register?
Register as soon as possible after online registration begins! Travel South Showcase is typically sold out before the end of the year and could even close prior to the end of the early-bird registration pricing period.For North American Buyers, online registration begins Wednesday, July 10, 2019 and the early-bird pricing deadline for Buyer registration is November 22, 2019. Journalist registration begins on August 14, 2019 and spaces fill quickly. Supplier and Travel Service Provider online registration begins September 4, 2019 and the Supplier early-bird pricing deadline is December 13, 2019. If space is still available, beginning December 14, 2019 registration is first-come, first-serve until Marketplace is sold out.
Can I just register to come for a day or a specific event?
Travel South Showcase does not sell day passes, event passes or partial registrations.
What is the Domestic Marketing Village?
The Domestic Marketing Village at Marketplace is the meeting and gathering place on the show floor and it located in the highest visible position. Travel Service Provider booths form a ring around the area and our refreshment lounge is located in the center of the booths. The food and beverage guarantees traffic through the area.
I don't have a Travel South Showcase registration link, what can I do?
If you have participated in Showcase in the past, contact [email protected] to have the information sent via e-mail. If you are new to Travel South Showcase and did not receive an invitation e-mail, click here to request a registration application. Once eligibility has been verified, a registration link will be sent.
My company has controls on my computer that deny me access to the Showcase registration site, what do I do?
Ensure that all pop-up blockers have been disabled and discuss the situation with the person in your company that handles technology issues. In select circumstances, the Travel South staff can manually enter your registration and appointment schedule, however, profile information about delegates, both tour operators and suppliers are only available on-line in your Showcase Passport.
Other suppliers in my state are receiving monthly updates and I have not received any emails from Travel South Showcase, what should I do?
Most likely, Travel South Showcase is not on your ‘safe’ email list. Consult with the person handling IT for your company and request that *@TravelSouthUSA.com and*@TeamEventManagement.com be added to your safe list and confirm that both addresses have been white listed with your email administrator.
How are the appointments scheduled?
More than 18,000 appointment are pre-scheduled for the four Showcase Marketplace sessions. Beginning on January 22, 2020 and ending February 21, 2020, all appointment-taking delegates have the opportunity to electronically research and request appointments with the organizations they most want to meet with during Marketplace. Our automated scheduling system matches appointment requests and schedules nearly 100% of all mutually requested appointments and 90% of all Buyer requested appointments — giving you quality appointments.Travel South Showcase gives you the flexibility of requesting your appointments on our website allowing you to change and update your requests up until the minute they are scheduled. Once again this year, you will see which companies have requested your organization, allowing you to continually update your requests in order to gain more mutual appointments.
How are the appointments prioritized?
Of the more than 18,000 appointment requests that are pre-scheduled, we instruct the computer-matching program to process appointments in the following order:
- Buyer & Supplier Perfect Match (Buyer & Supplier both request the other)
- Buyer Requests (Supplier did not reciprocate request)
- Supplier Requests (Buyer did not reciprocate request)
- Journalist & Supplier Perfect Match (scheduled after all Buyer/Supplier appointments are completed)