Travel Experts, the host agency with more than 500 independent travel advisors, will be holding its Summit 3 with a five-night private sailing on the Seabourn Ovation out of Barbados on March 25-30, 2023.

This exclusive charter will bring together 150 travel advisors with 60 suppliers for a series of meetings, one-on-one talks, and social gatherings.

“After two very successful Summit events we are excited that we will once again be able to unite our suppliers with our member advisors to learn what’s new and plan for the future,” said Sharon Fake, executive director for Travel Experts.

“Having this exclusive charter on the Seabourn Ovation creates the perfect environment bringing everyone together and has been praised by both advisors and suppliers,” Fake added. “Our advisors have told us that clients too have benefitted from these Summit events as information and relationships developed have resulted in bookings following the conference.”

Travel Experts has put together a schedule allowing for speed-dating-like meetings between advisors and suppliers as well as some special guests including keynote speaker Laurie Guest, a well-known motivational speaker, Virtuoso Senior Vice President Cheryl Bunker, and from the company’s public relations firm, Richard Kahn, president of KTCpr and a former editor of a travel trade magazine.

Guests will also host informal cocktail hour talks with advisors. Kahn will interview advisors for future articles in the trade press.

“We welcome advisors to bring along a guest and make this event both business and pleasure,” Fake said. “It’s one large family reunion of all our great advisors, suppliers and guests. It’s an excellent opportunity to engage with all Travel Experts management on a one-to-one basis and get to know other Travel Experts advisors, often resulting in beneficial relationships.”

The roundtrip cruise out of Barbados will visit St. Barth’s, St. Kitts & Nevis and Martinique. “We expect we will be sold out shortly, but right now there are still a few cabins available for advisors,” Fake noted.

The cruise includes open bar in all bars, lounges and restaurants, all shipboard gratuities, complimentary Wi-Fi, bon voyage Champagne, 24-hour in-suite room service, in-suite set-up of stocked bar, and complimentary use of water sports platform when weather and port conditions permit.

“We have 60 supplier partners attending plus six on a waitlist,” Fake said. “They have told us they are anxious to repeat or join what they see as one of the best events any agency holds. We have capped the number of suppliers at 60 so that advisors will have plenty of personal interaction as well as casual time to spend with them.”

Each travel advisor will meet with all suppliers for the speed dating times and will also have two assigned dinners with supplier partners. The remaining three nights will be at leisure with opportunities to book Thomas Keller’s upscale restaurant on the ship.

A sample of the suppliers attending include executives from Virtuoso, Abercrombie & Kent, Accor, Celebrity Cruises, Classic Vacations, Collette, Four Seasons, Globus, Gogo Vacations, Holland America Line, Hyatt, Marriott Luxury Brands, Micato Safaris, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Scenic Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea, Tauck, Travel Impressions, Ultimate Jet Vacations, Viking Cruises, Villas of Distinction and more.

MILUX and Luminous are offering pre- or post-Summit 3 opportunities to stay at several of their all-inclusive properties in Barbados.

Travel Experts has been a premier travel design firm since 1989, made up of premium travel counselors. Travel Experts members are experienced professionals who operate as independent contractors