Test your faith tourism wits. Did you know?....

* 1 in 4 travelers are interested in faith vacations.

* Israel is experiencing its best year of tourism ever this year (in 2008).

* International faith-based vacations will double in the next 5 years to almost 10

  million American travelers; a vast increase from today's 4.5 million faith travelers.

* 80% of religious travelers are interested in taking a 2nd faith vacation.

* Overseas faith-based travel has grown at double the rate of general overseas

   travel in the past 5 years.

* Faith-based attractions are experiencing record attendance in 2008.

* 75% of the religious travel market is group travel.

* Faith tourism appeals equally to all ages from 18-34, 35-54, and 55+ years old.

* Missionary travel grew from 25,000 participants in 1979 to 2 million in present day

* Religious conferences/events expanded from 4 million attendees to 15 million

   attendees in the past 10 years.

* 75% of faith-based cruisers are first-timers. Faith-based cruising is now one

   of the top vacation choices by churches and religious organizations. 

* Faith-based groups now embark on adventure trips ranging from week-long Grand

   Canyon excursions to African safaris to New Zealand/Australia getaways.

* Volunteer vacations grew from 1 million participants in 2003 to 2.1 million in 2008.

 

It's YOUR turn to now participate in one of the

fastest growing markets in the travel industry.

 

Welcome to the New Era of Faith Tourism. In the past decade travel by churches, religious groups, and people of faith has evolved from a "niche market" into a full-blown industry of 300 million religious travelers globally. Furthermore, Faith Tourism has grown into a robust industry comprised of multi-billion dollar niches and market segments ranging from pilgrimages to leisure vacations to cruising to conferences/events to adventure travel to attractions to missions and volunteer vacations and to much more.

 

Major tour operators, wholesalers, cruise lines, travel providers, tourist boards, destinations, hotels, and suppliers are entering the marketplace today. Many are launching fully-dedicated faith-based travel divisions and/or product. This is just one reason why the Chicago Tribune recently stated that Faith Tourism has gone "mass market."

 

The World Religious Travel Expo is a targeted opportunity to remain at the forefront of the burgeoning industry and prominently feature your organization, products, and services direct to the $18 billion faith tourism marketplace. With religious travel serving as one of the fastest growing segments of the global travel industry, it is imperative that if travel providers, suppliers, and travel agents wish to stay at the forefront of this burgeoning faith tourism industry, they must make their presence visibly known in this marketplace and must capitalize on the full kaleidoscope of today's wide variety of faith vacations and travel requests. Furthermore, they must network and remain at the forefront of market trends and intelligence.

 

The answer to making all this possible is World Religious Travel Expo & Educational Conference 2008. Serving as the largest and most important event ever held in faith tourism, the Expo serves as the only venue to connect in one place tour operators, wholesalers, tourist boards, suppliers, travel agencies, and group planners who specialize in faith-based travel and vacations.

 

But if you wish to guarantee your attendance or exhibit booth - you must act fast. Exhibit booths are nearly are sold out for this historic and unprecedented event which includes exhibitors such as Globus, Trafalgar, Collette, MTS Travel, Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, and the tourism boards of Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Egypt, Switzerland, Bahamas, Barbados, and many others. Travel agents and group planners need to lock in their registrations as soon as possible, in order to guarantee their attendance. Where can you register and how can you learn more? Here is a quick summary:

 

Who Will Attend: Travel wholesalers, tour operators, cruise lines, tourist boards, suppliers, lodging, travel agents, and group planners.
What travel products and services will be represented? Pilgrimage, Cruising, Leisure, Touring, Events, Missions, Attractions, Retreats, Adventures, & More
What are the two main events of the Expo? The International Tradeshow and The Educational Conference
When:  October 29 – November 1, 2008
Where: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center (Orlando, Florida, USA)
How I learn more and register for the Expo? Visit www.religioustravelexpo.com
Who is hosting the Expo? The World Religious Travel Association

 

 

                                       Click here:

     www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=153466

 

 Top 10 reasons to attend World Religious Travel Expo

1. Learn how to effectively build a profitable faith-based travel business or division.

2. Meet the "Who's Who" in faith tourism for travel providers.

3. Discover new faith vacation products and services.

4. Enrich your existing portfolio for the religious market to include a diverse range

   of trips, vacations, and events.

5. Learn how to market and sell effectively to various faith-based consumers.

6. Gain in-depth knowledge on the size and scope of the religious market in North

    America (for example, learn that 1 in 4 people are interested in faith travel).

7. Develop relationships with key faith tourism authorities, leaders, and personnel.

8. Find out about important faith-based travel FAM trips.

9. Participate in the most comprehensive educational conference ever hosted on

   the faith tourism market. 

10. Become a part of history as the World Religious Travel Expo serves as the

    first-ever and most important gathering in the faith tourism industry. 

 

Looking for Diverse Vacation Experiences

Which of the following faith vacations & markets (see chart)
does your agency currently tap into and promote?

 How can I learn more about Faith Tourism?
Click on any of the following 3 resources...

* Discover the New Era of Faith Tourism (5-Minute Video)

* Religious Tourism: A New Era, A Dynamic Industry (Cover Story Article)

* Faith Tourism: A New Era, A Dynamic Industry (Powerpoint Presentation)

How much does it cost to attend the Expo?