Come with me to the New York International Travel Show 2022! It’s been almost 3 years since New York City has had an international travel show like this one. The Passport by Design team (of one 😂) went as Press and covered the show both Friday and Saturday. Come with me and learn all about the show. Check it out the next time it comes around. It’s scheduled next year for October 2023.

Getting to the New York International Travel Show

The New York International Travel Show is located at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in the Hudson Yards section of Manhattan. There is a new train station that was built in recent years that takes you directly from Grand Central Terminal. This is the number 7 train.

Take the number 7 train westward. You can’t miss the Hudson Yards stop because it’s the last stop. Exit the station and make a left through the park. You should be facing West 34th Street . Continue left and walk down West 34th Street. Then make a right onto 11th Avenue. You will see a giant glass building. This is the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

International performances

One of the major draws of international travel shows are the performances. I enjoyed performances from countries such as Indonesia and Brazil.

Indonesia

I’ve included some images of the Indonesian dance show below. The dancers were so graceful and their outfits were so beautiful and detailed. At the end of the performance the Indonesian Tourism Board gave away a trip to Indonesia! The show is great for surprise giveaways. You never know what you’ll win.

Brazil

Then there was the performance from Brazil. It started off with a singer and band. Then they brought in other performers. These included traditional Samba dancers as well as Capoeira performers. The Capoeira performers along with another dancer showcased the descendants of Africans that call Brazil home.

Food and drinks to sample

Poland

There were also cooking demonstrations. One of them included a chef making Polish pierogis. After the show you were able to taste the pierogis.

Did I mention that there was a lot of food to taste? The I Love New York booth featured apple cider and apple cider donuts. The Brazil booth featured drinks popular in Brazil as well as snacks made from the yuca vegetable. Other booths offered drinks; some with alcohol and others without. It was just an international gastronomy tour!

Learn about destinations

Another great thing is learning about destinations that you want to travel to. And you’re not just speaking with people who live in New York about far away destinations. Many of the representatives from the countries travel far to come to the show. They are eager to teach you about their countries. One of those such countries was Palau.

Palau

Palau is a country in the south pacific. The presenters at the booth traveled for 24 hours to come to the show to speak about their country. I learned so much about this independent country in the South Pacific that is warm and welcoming and full of beauty.

One thing that stood out about Palau is their Palau Pledge. Visas are NOT required. Instead, all visitors are asked to sign a commitment in their passports to “protect the natural environment and respect local traditions.” They claim they are the first county in the world to change its immigration policy and landing procedures in this way.

Estonia

I also spoke with the Estonia booth. Estonia is a country that I knew little about. With my short visit to the booth and the map provided, I see that the country’s capitol Tallinn is such a hub of art and design. I would love to visit the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design.

They also have the Estonian Theater and Music Museum. There is the Estonian Museum of Natural History as well as the Adamson-Eric Museum. He was an Estonian artist who lived from 1902 to 1968. And that’s just some of what Tallinn has to offer!

Jamaica

So many people I know have been going to Jamaica. Now I understand why. The hospitality from the people at the booth alone was enough to make me want to go. I learned about a property called The Cliff that is located a little under 2 hours away from Montego Bay, in Negril. This is your private, luxurious boutique hotel away from all the crowds. It’s definitely worth learning more about. Check out their website thecliffjamaica.com.

Malaysia

Malaysia is a country I’ve heard about different times but didn’t really know that much about. After speaking with the Malaysia team I learned so much more. They have a really good variety of food and shopping experiences. I feel like food and shopping is the reason why a lot of us travel. And this has me really excited about going to Malaysia. I’ve included some pictures of the brochure that I took with me.

The food looks amazing. And the shopping looks really good too. They have a traditional Malaysian Boutique and are known for their pewter which seems to be a type of metal. Then they have pearls sourced from the waters in Malaysia Borneo.

Traverse City, Michigan, U.S.A.

Traverse City, Michigan is a great domestic destination. I had heard a few things about Traverse City but I learned so much more at the show. There are things to do all year round. Go sailing and visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes in the spring and summer. Visit wineries and breweries in the fall season. That was something that was surprising. The location and climate makes it great for producing wine. When it’s wintertime, go skiing. It really is a four season destination.

Ghana

Ghana is another great destination. I talked to the Ghana team and spoke to a woman who grew up in The States but moved back to her family’s home country of Ghana 5 years ago. She explained all the different ways to get to Ghana and other African countries. This includes countries such as Egypt and Morocco that allow free layovers to other parts of Africa. There are a lot of people who are part of the African diaspora visiting Ghana and some of them are deciding to live there. She currently lives in Accra.

There’s a lot to see and do in Accra including the Shy Hills Reserve. The Kintampo Waterfalls is one of the highest waterfalls and it’s located in Bono East, Ghana. There are so many things to do on the African continent and I learned all about this at a travel industry conference I attended on Friday.

Travel to the African Continent

Friday was the trade day and I spent time learning about the trends and travel for the coming year. Naledi Khabo, the CEO of the Africa Tourism Association (ATA), spoke about the outlook for travel in 2023. The National Basketball Association Africa’s Basketball Africa League was a major topic. The Africa League is scheduled to participate in Senegal, Egypt and Rwanda. When basketball players in the U.S. go abroad they usually to go to Europe. They’re trying to change it so that more players go to African countries to play. The Africa Tourism Association’s goal is to highlight tourism in Africa in ways that are not currently being seen.

Durban, South Africa, for example, has a derby that’s on the same level as the Kentucky Derby in America. So many of the countries on the African continent have so much more to offer than just safaris and cultural heritage. Another point was that culture and luxury don’t have to be mutually exclusive. You can visit a country for the culture and experience a lifestyle many don’t expect to find on this continent.

Kenya is not just for safaris. Rwanda is not just Gorilla conservation. Kigali in Rwanda is becoming an urban center. And Nairobi, Kenya is aiming for the same thing. Senegal has a fashion scene. The Chanel brand is holding its first show on the African continent in Dakar, Senegal, in December 2022.

A big issue that was spoken about is the connectivity issues on the continent of Africa as well as lack of infrastructure. It’s not a secret and it’s widely known. These are issues with complicated solutions, but improvements are being made.

Are you ready to go to the show next year? I know you are! Meet me in New York for the New York International travel show at the Javits center. Mark your calendars for October 28 & 29, 2023. You won’t regret it!