Tuesday - press conferences, one after the other, starting at 8:30 am: Universal Studios, New York, Los Angeles, U.S. Travel Association etc. Lunch itself was not worth being mentioned (but considering the number of meals, no wonder), with the exception, that, again, New York again sponsored a big presentation of different broadway musicals, like Chicago or Wicked (pic: Joan Marcus, Broadway Collection). Can't imagine how much it must have cost to fly in the cast of all this shows! Las Vegas had a "different" press conference after lunch: with an "virtual dome experience" (a film presented in a domed tent) and with a chef flown in from Vegas' Emeril's restaurant (a famous chef from N.O. who operates several restaurants now) and a barkeeper from a famous bar in Vegas. Boy, money doesn't seem to be an issue in this business!
After lunch, media was for the first time allowed on the main exhibition floor, where all the boothes of the different destinations and companies were set up. We had a couple of appointments this afternoon, but also "walked the floor" saying "hello" to people we knew and to see who's there and what's going on at different places. There were more than 2.500 boothes set up in this huge hall and 6.000 attendees from 73 countries, including over 1.300 international and domestic travel buyers and over 500 media including about 20 from Germany were taking part at this congress organized by the U.S. Travel Association.
We walked back to the hotel, showered and dressed down to leave again at 6:30 pm for our first party in the French Quarter at the "Bourbon Cowboy". Rocky Mountains International had invited a not too big group of tour ops and journalists, and, thanks god, it was not as loud and there was gumbo and jambalaya to eat on plates instead of mini-bites, though standing room mostly. After 45 min. we headed to the Riverfront Hilton Hotel to attend the Oregon party, where pasta was the "dish of the day". Atmosphere was family-style (since we know many people there), though the ambiente of the hotel ballroom was not horribly appealing. Fortunately, the largest and weirdest party of all took place in the same hotel, just in another, larger room: San Francisco (see pic above). They are known for their spectacular parties, with cute boys in golden shorts dancing on tables, a famous DJ, bars of all kinds and big dressed-up, high-heeled polished crowds. Being tired, we mostly watched the scenery from kind of a "Tiki Bar" and had fun doing so.
Back to the hotel after 11 pm and all all wired up (though not drunk) we didn't sleep well. This morning: more press conferences - Washington DC was introduced as the next host city 2017 (see pic) - and appointments in the Main Hsll. We had lunch with our friends from KS/OK at a front row table and were therefore able to see "Barenaked Ladies" play, not just on the big screens, but on stage. Kissimmee/Florida (where all the big entertainment parks are) had invited the Canadian band and had sponsored the lunch.
After another meeting and a brief last stop in the media room (where a local radio station had set up a stage, too, see pic) we called it a day and walked back to the hotel to check out the rooftop pool (which is small and not too attractive) and then started sorting through materials and packing. The last days were decent temperature-wise, humid and warm, but tolerable, with a little breeze and some clouds inbetween. No complaints. Getting ready now for the final big party at Mardi Gras World.
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