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The Los Angeles Times Times
Travel Show!
The World in LA For Two Days
The world comes to LA for the annual LA Times Travel Show.
That pinch one feels is not a significant other playing around or uncomfortable jeans settling into place. It's the travel bug.
And that travel bug bites everyone who walks through the door at the annual Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show.
In addition to dream travel destinations in Asia, Europe, South America the USA and several places throughout the host Golden State, the LA Times Travel & Adventure Show features first-rate speakers such as Samantha Brown, Rick Steves and Johnny Jet talking everything travel and giving travel advice and tips.
There is plenty to see – and do – at this travel show.
The annual event – the 2011 show was March 19-20 at the Los Angeles
Convention Center and the 2012 event will take place the end of January – brings together tourism boards from around
the globe, giving people in Southern California the chance to sample
countries as if they were appetizers at a dinner party.
Added to this
travel bonanza is live entertainment that gives the show a flamboyant
flair and the travel expert speakers.
"It's
a tremendous opportunity for consumers to get a look at – and dream
of – travel destinations," said Catharine Hamm, Travel Editor,
LA Times. "They can also get practical and useful information about
various places."
 More than 500 exhibitors participate and there's even a scuba tank
where anyone can pull on a wetsuit and go for an underwater swim and a 25-foot rock climbing wall. In 2011 a zip line became part of the participation activities.
That's right, a zipline in the convention center.
Oh, and the Laker Girls!
One especially touching part of the 2011 show was the Japan exhibit, which turned into an earthquake/tsunami donation center after that country's natural devastation.
Each year, cultural music and dance takes place at the Global Beat Stage throughout the two days of the show.
Japan's exhibit in 2011 became a donation center for earthquake victims.
Among the destinations at the show are: Egypt, South Africa and Zanzibar and Serengeti from Africa; China, Malaysia, Napal the Phillippines and South Korea from Asia; Britich Colombia, Manitoba and Quebec from Canada; Barbados the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin/T.Maarteen, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Isands from the Caribbean; Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Iceland from Europe; Argentina Brazil, Colombia Costa Rica, the Honduras Panama from Latin America; Baja border towns in Mexico; The Cook Islands, Fifi, Papau New Guinea and Tahiti from the South Pacific and Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada Utah, from the USA.
Naturally, California destinations are well represented: Anaheim, Bishop, Catalina, California's Gold Country, the Inland Empire, Mammoth, Morro Bay, Ventura and the Channel Islands, the Sequoia Valley and Yosemite.
The layout of the show is easy to follow with hanging signs identifying
areas by region: Africa, Alaska, Asia, California, Canada, the Caribbean,
China and Asia, Cruise, Discover America, Europe, Hawaii, International,
Latin America, Mexico and the South Pacific.
Activities include rock climbing, a zip line and even scuba lessons.
In addition to the travel booths from visitor's bureaus and resorts,
the LA Times Travel Show has prizes and trip giveaways. Those are always popular with travel-seeking "tourists."
And, of course, the LA Times is always there, providing readers of
the paper's outstanding Travel section the opportunity to meet the writers
and editors.
Cost for the show is $12. The LA Times offers $3 discounts in a special
section produced before the event and on its website, www.latimestravelshow.com.
Los Angeles Times
Travel Show 2011 Photos
More LA Times
Travel Show Photos
Some destinations
have entertainment right in their booth.
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Angeles Visitor's Guide
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