What to Expect at the New York Times Travel Show

 

Welcome to the New York Times Travel Show

As a newbie to the travel blogging world, the New York Times Travel Show was a great way for me to meet some of the movers and shakers of the trade. I’m always one for new experiences, I give everything I do 100%, so it was only right that I head to the New York to gain some knowledge and resources on this amazing trade I’ve now become immersed in. First of all, as a new travel blogger you might ask yourself if attending is worth it, but honestly there’s so much you can learn. Here are some awesome reasons why you should attend and what you can expect.

New York Times Travel Show Info

Here’s What You Can Expect:

Meeting fellow bloggers. Be open to networking. I met Diana and Hope from MVMTBlog The two sisters enjoy amazing travel adventures around the world while working full-time and getting an education. Even though there were travel bloggers presenting, I felt it was important to make connections with travel bloggers who were like me. Bloggers still growing their site and social media influence, enjoying their travel experiences.

Eating unique cultural foods. I’m brave when it comes to what I eat. I don’t know how I was convinced to eat Kæstur hákarl-Fermented Shark from the Icelandic booth. There was something about the texture and the flavor that made me appreciate the dish. Don’t know if I would try it again. I also tried delicious Costa Rican chocolate, this was one of my favorites.

Learning about hundreds of countries. I have to say, I didn’t explore much of the U.S. booths. I really wanted to see what the Asian countries had to offer. There were so many samples, props and costumes to see. Who wouldn’t be ready to visit one of these countries immediately. This interesting game from Malaysia even reminded me of a game we played back in my home country of Antigua called Wari.

Hearing different languages and accents. Every booth had something unique to offer. The Leeds booth had the classic British aesthetics with the accents to match. Most of all I enjoyed being able to meet and connect with people from all around the world. Who knows you might even discover you have much in common with someone who lives on the other side of the world.

Waiting in long lines. There were lines for everything. From the bathroom to the entrances of some sessions. Be aware that you might also have to wait in line to sign up for a particular give-away or activity. It was impossible to get into NomadicMatts session. So many people wanted to learn from the man who travels the world on budget. I actually learned about the travel show from his Facebook page. Lucky me!

Meeting interesting people. I met some interesting people at the NYTS. While I was at the Caribbean section, the Aruba booth caught my eye and my ear. I knew Papiamento was a language spoken in Curacao, a neighboring island to Aruba. But I didn’t realize they spoke this language as well. In addition to several other languages including Dutch and Spanish. Certainly a great island at the top of my bucket list.

You might win something. You can sign up with email, you can sign up with social media. There’s so many opportunities to win something cool, like a free vacation. Who wouldn’t love that! As much as I’d like to say I won something, I didn’t. Because I signed up for so many opportunities I expected my chances to increase. But hey! The opportunity to attend has been a great reward in itself.

 

I’ve attended my first New York Times Travel Show, now what? 

Now is the time to stay active on social media and connect with individuals I’ve met at the show. I’ll continue building relevant content, improving my blog and inspiring others as they begin their own travel journey.