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With about 170 travel advisors in attendance, this year's conference was the largest ever. Tracy Walczak, owner of Oasis Travel network in Hallandale Beach, Fla., wanted to represent her state and give suppliers something to remember her by.

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Highlights from Global Travel Marketplace

With about 170 travel advisors in attendance, this year's conference was the largest ever. Tracy Walczak, owner of Oasis Travel network in Hallandale Beach, Fla., wanted to represent her state and give suppliers something to remember her by. Photo Credit: Andrea Zelinski

With about 170 travel advisors in attendance, this year's conference was the largest ever. Tracy Walczak, owner of Oasis Travel network in Hallandale Beach, Fla., wanted to represent her state and give suppliers something to remember her by.

Travel advisors essentially speed-date with suppliers ranging from cruise lines, tour operators, DMOs, airlines, travel insurance companies and tourism bureaus. The three-day event was held July 18 to 20 at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Fla.

Andrea Zelinski

Erin Turner is an independent contractor for Paradise in Your Palm Travel Agency/KTM Travel Group. As an advisor in Merritt Island, Fla., she decorated her table with a hint to where she is from with a "Sunshine State of Mind" picture and artificial green foliage.

Owner of The Vacation Company in St. Louis, Suzy Carmenzind, was a first-time attendee at GTM and she was looking to meet suppliers of European products that she can turn to for her longtime clients looking to try something new.

Bernis Gabelman, a first timer at GTM and owner of Columbia, S.C.-based Wish, Dream, Travel, sells a lot of cruises and European vacations. She said her goal was to find the right suppliers, including those who are on-site and can handle the details her for clients or who can cater to specific price points. Coming out of the pandemic, suppliers were often stretched very thin, she said. While suppliers have improved in that regard, "finding the suppliers that have that attention to detail is really important to me."

Andrea Zelinski

Surrounded by pink balloons, Cindy Carpino, owner of Five Star Travel Group based in Dublin, Penn., was looking for additional tour operators to add to her circle, including more operators in Europe. 'We're looking to expand our business, that's why we're here," Carpino said. She was also looking for more options for travel insurance.

This year was Erin Janson's first time at GTM. The independent contractor for The Willow and Want in Fairport, N.Y., said she wanted to build a bigger network of suppliers and other advisors. "We're always looking to provide something that isn't readily available to others," she said.

Krystal Pearce, owner of Keys to the Kingdom Travel in Benton, La., said she is looking for suppliers she can trust to take care of her clients. While she sells a lot of cruises, her clients want to branch out into land destinations for pre- or post-cruise options or land-based trips. "Having suppliers in place in those destinations is going to be amazing," she said.

Andrea Zelinski