For the first time in history, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) will host a live Virtual Expo on 29th – 30th June 2017 at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City with the aim of giving local tourism service providers an opportunity to meet “virtually” with key representatives of the international travel trade.
The Expo is targeting travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers originating from Belize’s major tourism markets, namely North America, Europe, South America and Central America. Other industry partners such as international associations, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) agencies, press and other industry professionals have also been invited to attend.
The theme for the Expo is Discover the Best of Belize’s Jungle and Beach. It will be a live event that will take place in an online environment. The Expo is equivalent to a conventional trade show, except suppliers and buyers connect with each other via the internet, regardless of their geographic location, to exchange valuable information.
Similar to any trade show, the participants’ virtual experience will start in the lobby or foyer of the show. Virtual Expos are generally 3-Dimensional and provide a 360 degree view of the trade show hall. Our platform will be unique to simulate the jungle and beach, which are the main highlights of Belize. Both suppliers and buyers will be able to set appointments with each other. Additionally, buyers will have the choice to browse the exhibition grounds and do live chat sessions with suppliers.
The Virtual Expo will offer participating tourism service providers with many benefits. These include an economical way to showcase their services, reach a global audience who are limited by geographical location, determine whether investing into a new market is worthwhile as well as to run analytics as soon as the show is over to determine their return on investment (ROI) and make informed decisions.
Furthermore, the Virtual Expo will also place suppliers in the international spotlight. The BTB has been working diligently with its international partners, namely Brighter Group (UK), GlobActive (Netherlands), JG Black Book of Travels (USA), Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Olson (USA) as well as several airlines and other industry partners. These agencies have been very instrumental in the qualification and recruiting process of the participating buyers.
The Expo has been featured in the Travel Press Media in Canada; Get Involved with Belize Campaign in the UK; Dutch Campaign in The Netherlands; JG Black Book of Travels Newsletter and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Newsletter.
Since opening the platform for registration, over 50 international buyers have registered and a total number of 24 local suppliers have representation for the event. The BTB welcomes you to be part of this historic event. Registration can be made at the following link: http://belizevirtualexpo.com/supplier-registration-form/.
For further information on the event, please contact the BTB Travel Trade Department at 227-2420 or email: Deborah.Gilharry@belizetourismboard.org, Jana.Puga@belizetourismboard.org, Althea.Sebastian@belizetourismboard.org, or Michelle.Bowers@belizetourismboard.org
