SF Travel Association's campaign to attract more Indians in 2011

90% of exhibit space sold. Registration at 20% ahead of last year.

The San Francisco Travel Association (SF Travel) is in high gear on a marketing campaign designed to attract record-breaking attendance at International Pow Wow, the major marketplace for transacting inbound US travel business coming to San Francisco May 21-25, 2011.

More than 1,100 international and domestic tour operators (or buyers) from 70 countries will 'shop' the largest travel industry trade show in North America inside Moscone Center, meeting in 70,000 pre-set meetings with representatives from more than 1,000 US travel organisations (suppliers) from every corner of the US. More than 400 international and domestic travel journalists will also attend to report on the event and the destination.

Produced by the US Travel Association, International Pow Wow is expected to generate more than $350 million in tourism for San Francisco over the next three years. In the past three years, the event registered an increasing number of travel organisations and journalists visiting from India. Many mid-size and niche travel and tour operators including top travel Indian companies attended the International Pow Wow in 2010.

“We started putting the word out at International Pow Wow 2010 in Orlando. Buyers received a special letter and a San Francisco CityPASS (www.citypass.com) when they arrived at the convention center,” said Tom Kiely, SF Travel vice president tourism development. “We also had a series of ads and editorial coverage in the Pow Wow Daily newspaper.”

In a modern version of an engraved invitation, SF Travel is creating a series of videos to key international travel buyers, journalists and domestic travel suppliers to build excitement for International Pow Wow in May 2011.

US Travel is projecting attendance for International Pow Wow in San Francisco to 5,500 people. More than 90% of the exhibit space has been sold. Registration is already 20% above the same time last year.

“For San Francisco’s tourism industry, this is most valuable event we could have,” said SF Travel president and CEO Joe D’Alessandro. “It is extremely important for the city’s number one industry.”

The US Travel Association’s International Pow Wow in San Francisco is supported by the following Platinum sponsors; San Francisco International Airport, Alcatraz Cruises, California Academy of Sciences, California Travel & Tourism Commission, CityPASS, the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Parks Conservancy, Hornblower Cruises & Events and PIER 39.

The Gold sponsors are Coach America, Hyatt Hotels San Francisco, Joie de Vivre Hotels, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Napa Valley Destination Council, North Coast Tourism Council, Port of San Francisco, Red & White Fleet, Starwood Hotels & Resorts-Western Region, Sonoma County Tourism Bureau and Super Sightseeing Tours.

The San Francisco Travel Association is a private, not-for-profit organisation that markets the city as a leisure, convention and business travel destination. With more than 1,600 members, San Francisco Travel is one of the largest membership-based tourism promotion agencies in the country. Tourism, San Francisco’s largest industry, generates in excess of $8.5 billion annually for the local economy.