By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Video Credit: WTE Miami 2024

MIAMI BEACH_ The second edition of the World Travel Expo opened here this week at the Miami Beach Convention Center, hosting over 2,000 attendees and over a hundred exhibitors from around the world.
Activities kicked off with a welcome reception at the National Hotel on South Beach, where guests enjoyed drinks, food and music in the hotel's tropical pool area beside a large sign that spelled "Relax" in lights -- definitely the theme for the evening.

Miami-Dade officials, including representatives from the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Miami International Airport and Miami Mayor Daniella Cava, were among those delivering opening remarks. Lisa Lufoff-Perlo, CEO and president of the Miami Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and former president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, delivered the keynote address.

On the exhibit floor, Columbia -- WTE Guest Country -- had a large contingent on hand to talk about how Columbia is rapidly emerging as a favorite destination for American travelers. Underscoring that point, AmaWaterways was there to talk about its upcoming river cruises on Columbia's Magdalena River -- the first of its kind. Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice-president of AmaWaterways, said the AmaMagdalena's first cruise will be March, 2025 and offer guests an immersion into the area's culture.

Kateryna Naumenko, sales manager USA, East for Frenchbee, a French low-cost airline based at Paris Orly Airport and operating flights worldwide, including Miami, said a new route, Paris to Montreal, would debut in the summer of 2025.

In the afternoon, a panel of speakers, including Ms. Karst,  discussed "Women in Travel," and how women like Ms. Lutoff-Perlo, who authored a book about the topic, "Making Waves," have overcome challenges as
they make their marks in the travel industry.

WTE Miami 2024 concludes Oct. 23.

(Press Release) Bad Gleichenberg, October 21, 2024 – Windstar Cruises President Christopher Prelog received the Styrian Tourism Panther Award for International Achievement on October 17, 2024. The Austrian award, which is the Styrian region’s highest tourism honor, is in its sixth year and is bestowed by the Bad Gleichenberg Tourism School to honor designers, visionaries, and pioneers of tourism for their success in the hospitality industry. The Panther Awards were chosen by a jury of top tourism professionals including educators, hoteliers/restaurateurs, and former award winners.
  
“We selected Christopher Prelog as our top winner in the international category due to his impressive career,” said Dr. Gerhard Kienzl, managing director of the Styrian Hotel Management School Association. “Chris is a wonderful role model for our young tourism professionals, and we are proud of his achievements throughout the hospitality industry and the impacts he has made both at home – and especially abroad – with Windstar’s highly regarded global presence.”  

(Press Release) Holland America Line launched its 2024-2025 Caribbean season Oct. 20, and the seven ships exploring the region have a host of new destination-centric culinary, beverage and shore excursion experiences that delve deeper into the region. With a focus on local flavors and cultural immersion, the cruise line is eager to offer guests authentic connections to the food, drinks and history of the destinations they visit.

(Press Release) DENVER, OCT. 22, 2024 – To herald in the season of giving, Riverside Luxury Cruises announced a new 300-Euro onboard credit offer today. Travellers can give a gift of a luxury European river cruise to their family and themselves, and enjoy standing savings of up to 35 percent, plus 300 Euros to spend on board when they book a 2025 cruise from now through November 30, 2024. Guests can apply their onboard credit toward rejuvenating treatments in the onboard FEHI Spa, Vintage Room fine dining experience, private shore excursion, or top shelf spirits and wines to make a luxury river cruise even more special. For more information about Riverside Luxury Cruises and to make a reservation, travelers should contact their travel advisors; visit www.Riverside-Cruises.com; or call 1-833-305-3313. Travel advisors can register and book their luxury clients through the brand’s dedicated partner portal at www.Riverside-Cruises.com/TA.  

By GERRY BARKER

I just want to announce I've added the role of Travel Editor for a new, Miami-based, luxury magazine, Aqua. Aqua's Pinecrest Edition is already published, and the Miami edition should be out soon.  Each month, I'll be writing about travel in the Wanderlust column. The magazine is available both hard copy and digital.

Here's a link to the magazine, and a link to my first article -- Moorea. Let me know what you think!

(Press Release) Kusadasi, Turkey, October 18, 2024 – Windstar Cruises has officially kicked off its ruby anniversary sailing season, marking 40 years since the company’s founding and its exemplary small ship cruising style with a beloved crew that’s more accurately described as “shipboard family.” 

The milestone celebration brought together two of Windstar’s iconic vessels—a Star Class motor yacht and Wind Class sailing yacht—last night in the port of Kusadasi, Turkey. The 312-guest Star Legend and the 148-guest Wind Spirit docked together as guests and crew disembarked for an exclusive event at the historic ruins of Ephesus, featuring the largest dinner Windstar has ever hosted at the site. Windstar executives along with the company’s ownership, captains and crew, and guests from both ships enjoyed a special evening in the ancient archeological site.