ASTA is pleased to announce that the first 100 travel agents to register for the International Destination Expo (IDE) (Istanbul, April 19-22, 2010) at THETRADESHOW (Las Vegas, Sept. 13-15) will be able to select from two complimentary pre-conference tours, courtesy of Key Tours.
Alexandria, VA – “ASTA’s IDE is the only industry event dedicated to destination training, and next year we are fortunate enough to be able to experience Turkey,” said Chris Russo, ASTA’s president and chair. “Travel agents who are thinking of attending the IDE and who will be attending Thetradeshow have fantastic chance to become intimately familiar with this unique country thanks to Key Tours. Firsthand knowledge of a destination is just one of the things that sets travel agents apart, and I would encourage agents to take advantage of this great opportunity.”
Those who register to attend IDE will also receive free accommodation for the four nights of the conference, April 19-22, in Istanbul. Check www.ASTA.org/expo to register for IDE and see which hotels are available.
Travel agents may select to tour the Cappadocia region, famous for its „moon-like“ landscapes, and visit the eight-story underground city of Kaymakli as part of this three-day, two-night tour. The following day includes a trip to Goreme’s rock chapels decorated with 6th-century frescos, Zelve’s cliffside Byzantine monastic complex and Uchisar’s natural citadel. Tour-goers will overnight in Cappadocia before being transferred to the Kayseri airport.
For those who prefer to visit Turkey’s Aegean coast, travel agents may wish to opt for the three-day, two-night Aegean Turkey tour. Upon arrival, attendees will transfer to Kusadasi for their first overnight. The following day includes a tour of the ruins of Ephesus and the Virgin Mary’s cottage. Tour goers will stroll down 2,000-year-old marble streets, and tour a theater, the library of Celsius and Hadrian’s Temple. The next morning, transfers to the Izmir airport or Kusadasi port will be provided.
The fifth IDE will be held in Istanbul, April 19-22, 2010, where agents will receive specialist training in the Turkey and neighboring countries. Agents can register for IDE at the ASTA booth 815 or at booth 801 with Turkey Culture and Tourism at Thetradeshow. For more information or to register, go to ASTA.org/events.
The mission of ASTA (the American Society of Travel Agents) is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable and growing and a rewarding field in which to work, invest and do business.
