A couple of years back I attended the first New York Travel Festival (NY Trav Fest). Check out my review featuring the highlights here.

The festival featured lots of different seminars and discussions in a much smaller setting than what you’d expect of a show like the NY Times Travel Show.

The NY Travel Festival had an impressive roster of travelers featured like Lee Abbamonte, Andrew Evans, Matt Kepnes and more.

The NY Trav Fest is back for the third time and will take place from April 18 – 19 in two locations. (There are various ticket options allowing you to attend one or both days of the festival.)

The festival offers seminars and discussions for travel consumers and industry members. According to NY Trav Fest planning committee member Michele Herrmann, “What makes our festival stand out from other travel shows is that we provide more of an intimate setting with specialized workshops and panel discussions on what immersive and tech-savvy travelers want: direct advice“.

Day 1 will be a day for Discovery & Dialogue. It will take place at W83 (150 West 83rd Street) and will allow for both travelers and travel professionals to “enhance their knowledge of travel trends and niche groups“.

Seminars & discussions will include:

• Travel Unity Summit: A focus on how to bring under-represented groups further into tourism as industry and consumers.
• Industry Track: Speakers, panels, and workshops highlighting topics of use to members of the travel industry and media.
• Traveler Track: Exciting speakers presenting their ideas for immersive travelers.
• Travel 2.0 @ #NYTF: A chance to learn about the latest travel startups and grow your new travel business.
• Experts’ Corner: One-on-one pre-scheduled meetings with experts from the world of travel.

Day 2 will be about Exploration & Evolution. The event will be at Hosteling International NY (891 Amsterdam Avenue at 103rd Street). Travelers and those in career transition will learn how to keep travel a big part of their life.

What to expect:

• Workshops: Sessions on careers in the travel industry, becoming a (better) travel content creator, and career-break travel.
• Inspiring Speakers: Stories from folks who travel in ways you’ve never thought of, to places you never knew you wanted to go.
• Pathfinder Consults: One-on-one meetings with representatives from a variety of companies, for people looking for a career change into or within travel.

What does it cost to attend?

There are a few different options ranging in price from $20 to $150.

• Weekend Traveler Ticket- $45
• Weekend Industry Ticket- $150
• Weekend Meet, Plan Go! Ticket- $100 (I believe these were limited & sold out) Update (April 4)- There are still a few of these tickets currently available.
• Sunday- Only Ticket- $20

Are any of you planning to or thinking of attending the New York Travel Festival? I was thinking of attending but won’t be able to since we’ll be returning from a trip just a few days before…

Find out more about and purchase your tickets to the NY Trav Fest here.