Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) took place in Vail, CO from April 3 – 8, 2022 with over 850 mountain travel professionals gathering from around the globe. The industry had not connected live since the conference was held in Whistler, BC in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event brings together domestic and international tour operators, resort representatives and destination marketing organizations in the mountain tourism industry for a week of networking, business meetings and thought-provoking content.
MTS had not been held in Vail, CO since 2008. “This event has been a long time coming,” said Mia Vlaar, Town of Vail. “It’s been a couple years in the works, and it was so incredibly exciting to actually have it come to fruition. Everyone has so much energy and enthusiasm about being back together again, and that’s probably the best part of what we experienced during MTS week.”
The event kicked off with the Young Leaders Summit, an initiative investing in the upcoming generation of industry leaders. Programming included a leadership exercise, discussion-based problem solving, interviews with industry leaders, and peer-to-peer networking.
“The Young Leaders Summit provided me with new, thoughtful perspectives,” said Dan Raphael, Elevated Properties. “The Solution Room session highlighted that the industry as a whole is facing the same issues and a committed approach to solving them together is necessary.”
The two-day Forum at MTS included content focused around the theme “Future Forward”. Topics included leadership; diversity, equity, and inclusion; brand identity; sustainability and traveler trends.
“The Forum is really important because it’s where we all learn from each other, said Marilyn Stinson, Deer Valley Resort. “There are attendees from Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Utah, Colorado; the whole industry is together. We can all talk to and listen to each other to learn about different perspectives and new strategies.”
Attendees were able to reconnect with old friends and build relationships with new colleagues after so many years of only meeting virtually. A highlight for event participants is MTS’ Skier Networking Day where attendees can conduct business on the slopes. Networking is then continued throughout the week through receptions, themed parties and meal functions.
“It was incredible to see the industry reunited,” said Alicia Evanko, Executive Vice President, Travel Group Global Events, Northstar Travel Group. “There was so much celebration happening throughout the week. Having everyone come together really brought to life how resilient this industry is.”
Other key components of the event are the Trade Exchange and the Group Exchange, comprised of one-on-one appointments between buyers and sellers of mountain travel products and services. The Trade Exchange included over 375 participants doing business. And the Group Exchange included Group Leaders representing 125 ski clubs and councils from across the country.
Mountain Travel Symposium moves to Banff & Lake Louise, AB, Canada, March 26 – 31, 2023. For more information about the event, visit www.mtntrvl.com
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ABOUT NORTHSTAR TRAVEL GROUP:
Northstar Travel Group is the leading B-to-B information and marketing solutions company serving all segments of the travel industry including leisure/retail, corporate/business travel, corporate and sports meetings, incentives, hospitality, and travel technology.
Northstar is the owner of well-known brands including Travel Weekly U.S., TravelAge West, Travel Weekly China, Travel Pulse, Business Travel News, Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, Incentive, M&C China, Meetings & Incentive Travel, Association Meetings International, Meetpie.com, SportsTravel, Travel42, Axus Travel App, Agent Studio, and Web in Travel.
The company produces more than 85 face-to-face events in 13 countries in retail travel, hospitality, corporate travel, travel technology, sports travel, and the meetings & incentive industry. Leadership events include the Phocuswright Conference, ALIS, The Business Travel Show, the largest corporate travel event in Europe, The Meetings Show, the largest meetings industry event in the UK, Web in Travel, CruiseWorld, Global Travel Marketplace, and TEAMS, the leading sports travel event.
In addition, Northstar owns Phocuswright, the leading research, business intelligence, and event producer serving the travel technology industry.
Northstar Travel Group owns the Burba Hotel Network, the leading producer of hotel investment events globally, including ALIS, the largest hotel investment conference in the world produced with the American Hotel & Lodging Association in Los Angeles each year.
Northstar is also the majority shareholder in Inntopia, the leading SaaS e-commerce software, CRM database marketing and predictive analytics business serving the mountain destination, golf, activities, hospitality, and specialty destination travel markets.
Northstar Travel Group is owned by funds managed by EagleTree Capital.