Seminar Descriptions - 2013

Speakers/Schedule Subject to Change. Please check back often for updates.

Travel & Adventure Theatre

Destination Theatre

Saturday, March 9

Europe Through the Back Door
Rick Steves, Author, Rick Steves’ European Guidebooks and Host, Writer & Producer, Public Television, Rick Steves’ Europe

Join the travel expert – acclaimed for his bestselling guidebook series, public television series, and public radio shows – as he shares all the latest in smart European travel. Freshly back from lots of travels, Rick Steves explains the practical, money-saving ins and outs of independent travel. Packed with tips on getting the most out of every mile, minute, and dollar on your next trip, this is a talk not to miss!

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: CULINARY TRAVEL/VOLUNTEER VACATIONS
How to Experience the True Culture of a Country Through "Volunteer Vacationing”
Sucheta Rawal, Founder, Go Eat Give

When you visit another country, do you end up eating at tourist-trap restaurants and bring back exact same pictures as all of your friends? Do you feel with your limited vacations, you can only scratch the surface of another culture? Sucheta Rawal, founder of the international nonprofit, Go Eat Give will tell you how you can avoid being a tourist and get the authentic experience of another culture, while saving time and money. Among other unique experiences, you can take a dessert safari into the Sahara, hobnob with the locals in Kathmandu, and enjoy the Spanish countryside, all while chowing through the local cuisine and giving back to the communities you visit.

Attend this session for a chance to win a two night stay, including breakfast for two, at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Québec City, Canada. Winner must be present to claim prize.

FOCUS: TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
The Art of Travel Photography
John Hoover, Freelance and Assignment Photographer Specializing in Travel, Portraits and Architecture

This is your passport to incredible travel images! Discover how to capture the mood of people and places from your next destination by creating dramatic landscapes, interesting cultural portraits and dynamic event images. During this enlightening seminar, you’ll learn valuable drills, what gear to bring and how to pack.

John will also show you how to see the images before you shoot by exploring a variety of concepts, filters and techniques. After this session, you will be ready and confident to book your next get-away!

Sponsored By:

FOCUS: U.S. - MAINE
The Maine Woods
Colonel Joel Wilkinson, Director, Maine Warden Service

The Maine Warden Service was established in 1880, and still today, nearly 130 years later, Maine Game Wardens are committed to protecting and preserving Maine's quality of life and outdoor activities. Join Colonel Joel Wilkinson, the director of the Maine Warden Service, as he talks about the bounty and beauty of Maine's natural resources and how visitors can enjoy them year-round! As a special treat learn more about Animal Planet's hit show, North Woods Law, which follows Wardens on their challenging and demanding job.

Presented By:

THE YEAR AHEAD IN TRAVEL
Arthur Frommer, Legendary Guidebook Author

Join Arthur Frommer as he outlines what he considers to be the major trends and best travel opportunities, as well as the destinations that particularly deserve a visit in 2013.

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: EGYPT
Egypt... Where it All Begins
Mr. Mohamed Hegazy, Director for USA & Latin America, Egyptian Tourist Authority

Egypt's history spans 7,000 years and boasts a legacy so influential that it once impacted cultures across parts of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Today, Egypt ranks 30th among the world's largest countries and is populated by over 82 million people. In this seminar, you’ll gain expert advice about traveling to Egypt from visiting the sprawling metropolis of Cairo to lesser known destination spots you shouldn’t miss. Source: R. Gayle Anderson.

Presented By:

Bizarre Travel with Andrew Zimmern

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: FLORIDA
Discover Daytona Beach
Jeffrey Hentz, President & CEO, Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Presented By:

FOCUS: FAMILY TRAVEL
Family Adventure Travel: Hidden Bonuses and How to Choose the Right Adventure for Your Family
Candyce H. Stapen, Ph.D., Travel Editor/Producer, USA Today

Adventure travel isn’t just for the big and brawny. Families are discovering that “soft adventure” trips – itineraries where the dangers are taken out, but the thrills remain – make for memorable vacations for all the right reasons.

Not only are these vacations fun, but they also come with hidden bonuses. When you and your kids share a safari in Kenya or a week-long bicycle journey in Brittany or enliven a resort stay with a river raft outing in Oregon or outrigger canoe paddling in Hawaii, your children see you in a new way. Suddenly you morph from the fuddy-duddy, dreaded rule-giver parent into a person who tries and likes new things.

And sharing a challenge builds bonds. Find out about these and the other hidden bonuses of adventure travel as well as how to pick the adventure that’s right for your family.

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Animal Presentation
Brandon Davis, SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Animal Ambassador

Meet SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s animal ambassadors, including (penguins, lemur, marmoset monkeys, alligator, opossum and Tegu lizard) and learn important conservation information. Then, hear exciting news about SeaWorld Orlando’s newest attraction, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, opening spring 2013.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment inspires millions, through the power of entertainment, to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world. The Company has been creating innovative entertainment experiences that blend imagination with nature for more than 50 years and is best known for its 11 U.S. theme parks, attractions that hosted more than 24 million guests in 2012 and include the beloved SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sesame Place® brands. A global leader in animal care and conservation, SeaWorld Parks has helped rescue over 22,000 animals in need – ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned – for more than four decades.

Join our animal educators at The Washington D.C. Travel & Adventure Show as they share conservation information and introduce animal ambassadors, including penguins, an alligator, opossum, lemur, tegu and marmosets.

Presented By:

FOCUS: AFRICA 
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Karen Zulauf, Director of Deeper Africa

Most of the last mountain gorillas left on the planet are in Uganda and Rwanda. Learn about travel to their home in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Virunga Mountains of Parc' Nationales. Trekking to see the gorillas in their habitat can be easier than you think.

Presented By:

Rick Steves' Italy
Rick Steves, Author, Rick Steves’ European Guidebooks and Host, Writer & Producer, Public Television, Rick Steves’ Europe

Rick Steves, author of Rick Steves’ Italy - the best-selling international guidebook in the USA, shares practical tips and insights into his favorite country. Italy, while rewarding is also challenging for American travelers. In one fast-moving hour Rick will cover the most important travel skills for enjoying Italy economically and efficiently along with his favorite destinations - from Venice, Florence, and Rome to the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, and the Cinque Terre.

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: WORLD TRAVEL
The Amazing Race Season 13 Finalist Tells All 
Daniel Honig, The Amazing Race Season 13 Finalist

If you are a fan of The Amazing Race, then you don’t want to miss this Q&A session with Season 13 Finalist Daniel Honig. Daniel will give you the inside scoop on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about The Amazing Race from tips to get on the show to the inner workings of the grueling legs of the “race”. Bring your questions!

Europe Through the Back Door
Rick Steves, Author, Rick Steves’ European Guidebooks and Host, Writer & Producer, Public Television, Rick Steves’ Europe

Join the travel expert – acclaimed for his bestselling guidebook series, public television series, and public radio shows – as he shares all the latest in smart European travel. Freshly back from lots of travels, Rick Steves explains the practical, money-saving ins and outs of independent travel. Packed with tips on getting the most out of every mile, minute, and dollar on your next trip, this is a talk not to miss! 

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: PET TRAVEL
Jetsetting with Your Pet: How to Travel Domestically and Internationally with Your Four-Legged Friend
Kelly E. Carter, Founder, TheJetSetPets.com, Pet Travel Expert, AOL’s Paw Nation and Contributing Editor, Elite Traveler

With pets being viewed as full-fledged family members, there’s no reason to leave Fifi behind when you travel for business or pleasure. Find out the best airlines for pawsengers, which hotels roll out the red carpet for four-legged guests, the top pet-friendly destinations, the latest news and trends in pet travel as well as the most recent laws regarding animal quarantines.

BONUS: Attend this session to enter an on-site drawing for a Sherpa pet carrier and Tagg Pet Tracker. Winners must be present to claim prizes.

Bizarre Travel with Andrew Zimmern

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

FOCUS: TRAVEL APPS
Navigating the Best Apps and Blogs to Help You Plan Your Vacation
Jill Martin Wrenn, Travel Writer and Reporter

Digital technology and social media have drastically changed how people travel all over the world; from corporate executives flying first class, to backpackers setting out on adventures. They have also transformed the travel industry -- and the pace of change will not slow down. This presentation will offer tips on how to navigate what can be a bewildering array of digital media: from finding the best blogs to help you plan your journey to using crowd sourcing to choose your vacation. By harnessing the best of travel technology, you can find bargains, glean travel tips and discover new destinations.

Rick Steves' Italy
Rick Steves, Author, Rick Steves’ European Guidebooks and Host, Writer & Producer, Public Television, Rick Steves’ Europe

Rick Steves, author of Rick Steves’ Italy - the best-selling international guidebook in the USA, shares practical tips and insights into his favorite country. Italy, while rewarding is also challenging for American travelers. In one fast-moving hour Rick will cover the most important travel skills for enjoying Italy economically and efficiently along with his favorite destinations - from Venice, Florence, and Rome to the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, and the Cinque Terre.

Autograph Signing Immediately Following

Focus: CRUISE
Discover Cruising Out of Baltimore
Linda Sampson, Business Development Manager, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

What could be easier than sailing out of Baltimore? In this session, you will hear all about the newly revitalized ship, Grandeur of the Seas that will be sailing May 3rd!

Presented By:

FOCUS: EUROPE/ASIA
Travels in Turkey, Cyprus, The Caucasus & The Silk Road
Bora Özkök, Owner, Cultural Folk Tours - Turkey 

Cultural Folk Tours and Bora Özkök present a lecture on the country of Turkey. Mr. Özkök, director of Cultural Folk Tours and a World-renown Turkish scholar, will talk about the culture, history, folklore and music of Turkey, Northern Cyprus, the Silk Road through Central Asia and the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey), sharing with you the gift of knowledge. He will also talk about his unique cave hotel, Cappadocia Cave Suites, as well as perform music.