Take a Page from the NY Times Travel Show

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Tuesday, 23 February 2010 05:00

Written by Laura Blum

Watching your wallet but still lusting to wander in 2010? If you're in Manhattan February 26 – 28, 2010, swing by The New York Times Travel Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

Presented by American Express, the show brandishes some 500 destinations, resorts, hotels, cruises and tours to fanaticize over while spelunking the cavernous hall of pavilions and regional exhibits.

Giveaways are ubiquitous for those who fill forms, and less patient sorts can learn about snagging outlandish travel deals by attending Saturday and Sunday's seminars. Top industry names brighten the lineup, including gurus Arthur and Pauline Frommer; 1,000 Places to See Before You Die author Patricia Schultz; and The New York Times' own Stuart Emmrich.

Television personality and travel scribe Julia Dimon will take her audience "Beyond the Tourist Zone" to fair trade coffee farms in Nicaragua and slimy critters in the Venezuelan jungle, among other highlights from her 80-country exploits. And a session with PBS Travelscope host Joseph Rosendo reveals why Thailand, India and Guatamala are good 2010 getaways.

Also sharing tales from the road is a panel of travel writers that includes Susan Orlean and David Farley. Aspiring travel writers can catch a seminar with gonomad.com's Max Hartshorne and Kent St. John, and anyone with a hankering for Cuba, family bargains or gay-friendly destinations will find seminars to match. Many of the forums are followed by author book signings at Borders Books.

Besides travel tips, big Travel Show draws are the cultural fanfare and exotic cuisine. This year, Javits's six performance stages show off a repertoire of dancers and musicians, from the Dominican Republic's Clarinetes Mágicos to South Africa's soccer-inspired Diski Dance honoring the 2010 World Cup.

Family attractions abound. Kids can get up-close and personal with live penguins and sloths at "Wild Things: Live!," while stressed parents take in the ancient Eastern art of circular breathing.

For Javits globetrotters who work up an appetite, they can sample menus from the Mexican revolution and spicy Indian poori, or enjoy cruise fare without turning green as Norwegian Cruise Line Chef Eric Cousin ladles out tastes from the sea.
And given December's reported 23% spike in cruise spending by American Express card holders, there may be cause for celebration.


This year's Travel Show unfolds amid signs of recovery in several other sectors of the travel industry as well. Taken together with pent-up travel interest and irresistible bargains, consumers are starting to look for places to vacation in 2010.
Thankfully, the Javits Center is large enough to accommodate the weekend's anticipated crowds.

In any case, there's no talk of bumping anyone.

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
644 West 34th Street
New York, NY
http://www.nyttravelshow.com/

Photo:traveljunkiejulia.com

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