40-plus Industry Experts Headline Industry’s Largest Faith Tourism Business Seminar Program at Expo 2010

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky.– The World Religious Travel Association business seminars for the November 13–16 World Religious Travel Expo 2010 will serve as the industry’s most comprehensive educational program on faith-based tourism and hospitality. The two-day curriculum will feature 40-plus industry experts, including several published authors. For the third straight year, travel agents and providers can earn up to three continuing educational units through The Travel Institute www.thetravelinstitute.com by attending and participating in the Expo business and educational seminar program.

“As sharing business acumen and education about the religious travel market is a key mission of WRTA and our annual Expo, we are ecstatic about this year’s lineup of speakers and seminars,” said Kevin J. Wright, WRTA president. “The topics cover virtually every segment of the industry from product development to sales to consumer service to word-of-mouth-marketing and much more. In addition, we’ll host several open forums whereby delegates can ask their own questions and share stories of success with fellow religious travel professionals, colleagues and experts.”

The business and educational seminar topics for the World Religious Travel Expo 2010 include:

• Who is Today’s Religious Traveler Consumer? How Can You Best Serve Them?
• How to Most Effectively Market and Sell to today’s Religious Travel Consumer.
• How Can You Find the Right Tour/Ground Operator for Your Religious Travel Program—and Why is it Key to Your Success?
• Discover the Holy Land and Enrich Your Biblical Lands Portfolio.
• Develop a Winning and Diverse Portfolio to the World’s Most Visited Religious Sites.
• Discover Faith-based Vacations, Attractions, & Events—Right Here in North America.
• Enrich Your Religious Travel Program with New Faith-based Vacations: Cruises, Volunteer Vacations, Local Getaways, Attractions and Much More.
• Open Forum: Q&A with Biblical Lands Representatives.
• Open Forum: Q&A Plus Discover New Ideas for Your Religious Travel Program.
• Open Forum: Q&A with International Ground Operators for Your Religious Travel Program.

In addition, two prominent published authors, Keith Powell and Greg Stielstra, will host the following business and educational seminars at Expo 2010:

• Igniting the Creative Spark for Your Faith Based Business—Keith Powell, The Business Revivalist and Author of The Transforming Power of Achievement
• Discover the Principles of PyroMarketing—Greg Stielstra, Author of Pyromarketing and Faith-based Marketing

The World Religious Travel Expo is the world’s pre-eminent faith tourism marketplace gathering with more than 500 travel professionals and tourism organizations from over 30 countries in attendance. This November’s Expo will be held in conjunction with the NTA Convention for the second year, providing a combined gathering of 2,000-plus travel professionals and tourism organizations. Through this collaboration with NTA, the leading association for travel professionals, both associations can offer its members opportunities for education, business expansion, networking and access to new markets.

For more information about attending the World Religious Travel Expo, contact the World Religious Travel Association at 888.255.WRTA (9782) or +1.859.219.3529 or by e-mail at headquarters@WRTAreligioustravel.com. For more information about the WRTA Expo, visit http://www.wrtaexpo.com/

New Webinar! Discover Switzerland for Your Faith-based Groups & Clients

Did you know Switzerland is recognized as one of the great European destinations for religious groups and travelers? Monasteries, saints, reformers, cathedrals and the like comprise the remarkable events, peoples, history, and places of Switzerland. In this fascinating and engaging webnar, discover what Switzerland can off your faith-based community or clients. Learn key tips, hints and other invaluable information for designing a winning and memorable itinerary—plus much more! Your Webinar host is Kevin J. Wright, WRTA president, and your Webinar guest expert is Mirko (Mike) Capodanno of Switzerland Tourism.

Visit the homepage of WRTA (www.WRTAreligioustravel.com) to view the newly released Switzerland Webinar.

Catering for Religious Tourism (The National UAE)

By Rebecca Bundhun
Read full article at http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?l=2&articleId=54087

In the past, pilgrimages lacked the trappings of luxurious trips, with travellers organising their own arrangements. But that is rapidly changing.

“Only now is the global travel industry beginning to recognise the tremendous impact and opportunity of assisting and servicing the millions of people who travel to the Middle East for religious purposes,” says Kevin Wright, the president of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA).

About 300 million religious tourists travel annually. Apart from Muslim pilgrimages, millions of visitors travel regularly to religious sites in France, Italy and India. 

“This has resulted in more major tour operators, hotels and other suppliers entering the marketplace than ever before,” says Mr Wright.

To capitalise on the demand for religious trips to Saudi Arabia, there are now scores of tour operators all over the world that specialise in selling packages for the Haj and Umrah.

Read the rest of the article at:
http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?l=2&articleId=54087

First 25 Travel Agents to Register for World Religious Travel Expo Receive Free Fam Tour of Quebec’s Shrines

LEXINGTON, Ky.– The first 25 travel agents to register for World Religious Travel Expo 2010 will qualify for a complimentary VIP Fam tour of Quebec’s famed shrines and religious sites. Escorted by WRTA President and The Christian Travel Planner author Kevin J. Wright, the Fam tour is valued at $500 and includes motorcoach transportation, local tourist guides, one-night lodging, meals and educational materials about the Canadian sanctuaries.

The Fam trip departs Montréal on the morning of November 16, the day following the Expo Final Night Dinner, and concludes at Montréal’s Trudeau International Airport Wed., Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. The province of Québec is home to four of Canada’s five National Sanctuaries:

· Oratoire Saint-Joseph (Montréal)
· Notre-Dame-du-Cap Sanctuary (Mauricie)
· Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica (Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré)
· Ermitage Saint-Antoine (Lac-Bouchette)

In addition, tour participants will enjoy an excursion to the spectacular Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean area and its breathtaking fjord. Agents who partake in the FAM trip will not only discover the celebrated shrines of Québec, but will also learn how to develop an itinerary around them and sell the travel package to clients.

For more information about attending the World Religious Travel Expo and qualifying for the post-Fam tour, contact the World Religious Travel Association at 888.255.WRTA (9782) or +1.859.219.3529 or by e-mail at headquarters@WRTAreligioustravel.com. For more information about the WRTA Expo, visit www.WRTAexpo.com .

The World Religious Travel Expo is the world’s pre-eminent faith tourism marketplace gathering with more than 500 travel professionals and tourism organizations from over 30 countries in attendance. This November’s Expo will be held in conjunction with the NTA Convention for the second year, providing a combined gathering of 2,000-plus travel professionals and tourism organizations. Through this collaboration with NTA, the leading association for travel professionals, both associations can offer its members opportunities for education, business expansion, networking and access to new markets.

Israel names new North American Tourism Commissioner

Article link: http://www.travelpress.com/PHP/news.php?sid=11726

Haim Gutin has been appointed Israel Tourism Commissioner for North and South America, taking over from Arie Sommer who returns to Jerusalem at the completion of his second term in the post. Prior to his posting to New York, Gutin was the Israel Ministry of Tourism’s senior deputy director-general for Human Resources and Logistics, based in Jerusalem. During his tenure in Jerusalem at the headquarters of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, Gutin served in a variety of posts including director of the marketing administration’s European department; supervisor of the domestic tourism promotion and marketing department and supervisor for the Jerusalem District’s Tourism Product Department.

Turkish show on Akhtamar

Full story at http://news.am/eng/print/28727.html
August 25, 2010 10:22
By Artur Hakobyan

The world economic crisis affected the world tourist industry, without, however, affecting faith tourism. In this context, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay seeks to promote faith tourism, particularly on Akhtamar Island, Lake Van, reported Vatan.

According to the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), faith tourism is most rapidly developing throughout the world. Every fourth tourist prefers faith tourism.

In January-June, 2010, 4.5% of the tourists that visited Turkey preferred faith tourism. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism plans to increase the number of faith tourists up to 3m. Minister Ertuğrul Günay has always attached importance to faith tourism development, pointing out that faith tourists normally spend much more than those preferring seaside holiday.

Read full story at link above.