Cruise Pirate.
Cruise Pirate.
What the registration page doesn't tell you — how to work 350+ exhibitors in two afternoons, which roundtables fill up first, where to eat when you need a break from the casino floor, and why the SELECT program is worth applying for even if you think you won't get in.
Trade show floor plan, restaurant picks, session planner, networking cheat sheet, and a surprise from the crew — free.
LVTAF is the largest independent travel agent trade show in North America. No consortia membership required, no host agency affiliation needed — if you're a bonafide leisure travel agent from the U.S. or Canada, you're in. TravelSMG has been running this event since 2009, and it's grown from a niche gathering to nearly 1,000 agents and 350+ suppliers packed into Paris Las Vegas for four days of education, roundtables, and a trade show floor that rivals anything the big consortia put on.
Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd. The convention center is inside the hotel, so you walk from your room to sessions in minutes. The 2024 edition sold out — this is the largest venue LVTAF has used, and it works well. The Paris Ballroom hosts the trade show floor.
Full attendee early bird is $145 (until September 30, 2025), then $219 standard. Show-only passes are $100 for two days of exhibit floor access. Non-refundable, non-transferable. Registration is restricted to bonafide US/Canada leisure travel agents.
Business casual across the board. There is no black-tie gala — evening events are social networking receptions at venues like Atomic Golf or poolside at Paris. Pack comfortable shoes for the trade show floor. It's Vegas, so nobody's judging if you dress up for dinner.
The full attendee package includes sponsored lunches (historically Sandals & Beaches in the Champagne Ballroom). Breakfast is on your own unless you're a SELECT delegate with invite-only "Ultimate Breakfast" sessions. Dinner is unstructured — and that's where the real networking happens.
Small-group supplier presentations categorized by segment: Cruise & Port, Destinations, Resorts & DMCs, Tours, and Technology. You RSVP via the Sched app before the event. Seating is limited and first-come, first-served. These fill fast — pick your rooms early.
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is 3 miles away — about 10 minutes by Uber or Lyft. TLC Luxury Transportation is the official partner (code "LVTAF-TLC LUXE" for 10% off + free airport meet & greet). No shuttle included with registration.
Four days. Three concurrent education tracks. Roundtable deep-dives. A two-day trade show. Two evening networking receptions. The exact session lineup gets published on the Sched app closer to the event, but this is the shape of the week so you can plan flights, supplier meetings, and dinner reservations.
| Day | Date | What's Happening |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tue, May 12 | Registration opens at noon in the Paris Convention Center Foyer. Afternoon opening sessions begin at 2:00 PM — typically the Travefy Agent Accelerator seminar and a specialty topic workshop. Light schedule to ease into the week. Evening is free — settle in, explore the Strip, get dinner. |
| Day 2 | Wed, May 13 | Full education day. Concurrent sessions from 9:15 AM across three tracks: Sales & Marketing, Agency Strategy, and Niche Product Development. SELECT delegates start with invite-only "Ultimate Breakfast" sessions at 8:00 AM. Roundtable Discussions at 4:00 PM — Cruise, Destinations, Resorts, Tours, and Tech. Evening: offsite networking reception hosted by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. |
| Day 3 | Thu, May 14 | Morning education sessions continue. SELECT one-to-one meetings run from 8:30 AM. Sponsored lunch in the Champagne Ballroom around noon. Exhibit floor opens at 4:00 PM in the Paris Ballroom — 350+ suppliers, all in one room. Evening: on-property networking reception (past years: poolside at Paris, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment). |
| Day 4 | Fri, May 15 | SELECT "Breakfast Bonanza" showcase at 7:30 AM. Final education sessions at 8:45 AM. Exhibit floor reopens at 10:00 AM. Prize giveaway drawings at 12:30 PM on the trade show floor — you must be present to win. Final sessions wrap by mid-afternoon. Head home or stay for the weekend. |
Sessions run in 75-minute blocks with three tracks running simultaneously. The tracks aren't labeled by experience level like some conferences — they're organized by topic. Sales & Marketing covers building your brand, closing techniques, and digital strategy. Agency Strategy handles legal, insurance, and operations. Niche & Product Development focuses on specific verticals like cruise, luxury, adventure, and destination specialization.
You can move between tracks freely. Nobody checks. If a marketing session sounds better than the operations session in your track, switch. The Sched app lets you build your personal schedule and RSVP for roundtables before you arrive — do this. Popular roundtables hit capacity before the event starts.
Cruise Pirate is the AI-powered host agency built for cruise sellers who want to work smarter. The first 200 founding agents lock in a 90/10 commission split — the best terms we'll ever offer. Just $50/month or $405/year (paid up front). Once the 200 spots are gone, they're gone.
The exhibit floor is the beating heart of LVTAF. Over 350 suppliers set up in the Paris Ballroom — cruise lines, all-inclusive resorts, tour operators, destination marketing organizations, travel tech companies, insurance providers, DMCs, and host agencies. It opens Thursday afternoon and runs through Friday midday, which means you have roughly 8 hours of floor time total. That sounds like a lot until you're standing in front of 350 booths.
350+ booths in two half-days means you need a plan. Check the exhibitor list on travelagentforum.com before you fly out. Pick your top 10-12 must-visit suppliers. Hit them in the first 45 minutes when the floor opens — less crowded, reps have more time to talk.
Every booth has flyers. You don't need them. Get the rep's direct email or cell phone number — a personal contact at a supplier is worth more than any printed material. Photograph their business card immediately so you don't lose it.
Most exhibitors participate in the prize giveaway program. Collect tickets as you visit booths. Drawings happen Friday at 12:30 PM on the trade show floor, and you must be present to win. Don't book a Friday morning flight.
LVTAF isn't cruise-only. Tour operators like Exoticca, tech platforms like Travefy, destination boards from Alaska to Thailand, and insurance providers all exhibit. If you're evaluating your business stack — host agencies, CRM, booking tools — this floor has it all in one room.
The roundtable sessions on Day 2 are one of LVTAF's best features. Small-group product presentations where suppliers pitch directly to 15-20 agents in a focused setting. They're categorized — Cruise & Port Destinations, Destinations, Resorts & DMCs, Tours & Packaged Vacations, Technology & Business Services — and you pick your rooms via the Sched app. The format is fast-paced: multiple suppliers rotate through each room, giving you exposure to products you might never have found on the trade show floor.
Seating is limited and first-come, first-served within each room. RSVP early, arrive on time, and bring specific questions. The agents who get the most out of roundtables are the ones who treat them like structured supplier meetings, not passive presentations.
You're at Paris Las Vegas on the Strip. That means you're within walking distance of some of the best restaurants in the country and also surrounded by overpriced mediocrity. The trick is knowing which is which. Sponsored lunches are included during the conference, but breakfast and dinner are on you — and dinner is where the real conversations happen.
The only restaurant on the Strip with a sidewalk patio, and it looks directly at the Bellagio fountains. Works for any meal — breakfast, lunch, dinner. The patio is first-come, first-served with no reservations, so arrive early or grab a buzzer and wait at the bar. This is the default networking spot for anyone staying at Paris.
The "close the deal" dinner spot without leaving your hotel. Booth seating is semi-private, the Beef Wellington is the move, and the atmosphere is polished without being stiff. Reservations strongly recommended. Budget around $150 per person with drinks. Dinner only.
Giada De Laurentiis' Italian spot next door at the Cromwell, connected to Paris via indoor walkway through the Horseshoe. Floor-to-ceiling Strip views. Open for lunch and dinner, which makes it useful between sessions. Vegan and gluten-free options available. Reservations via OpenTable.
Across Las Vegas Blvd at the Bellagio. One of the most recognized restaurant names in American dining. The patio overlooking the fountains is unbeatable for an impressive dinner. Private dining for groups up to 20. Book well in advance. The name alone tells your guest you're serious.
The insider pick. Speakeasy atmosphere with world-class craft cocktails and excellent steaks. Open until 3 AM, which makes it perfect for post-reception unwinding. Half-price steaks during happy hour (typically 5-8 PM). Walk-in only. Don't judge the exterior — the inside is gorgeous. About 10 minutes by rideshare.
James Beard semifinalist Brian Howard's inventive restaurant in Chinatown. The tasting menu is the way to go. This is the dinner people will still be talking about at breakfast the next day. Perfect for a small group of 4-6. Reservations via OpenTable. About 12 minutes by rideshare.
Seasonal housemade pastas in the Arts District from a chef who trained under Eric Ripert and Gordon Ramsay. Named one of the best Italian restaurants in the U.S. The antidote to Strip sensory overload — genuine, unpretentious, and worth the 12-minute rideshare. Open for lunch and dinner.
Paris Las Vegas is the hub — the convention center is inside the hotel, which means zero commute to sessions. The official room block runs $189/night with the resort fee waived, which saves you roughly $100 over a typical 3-night stay. Book through the official block link in your registration confirmation (not through third-party sites — the organizers have issued warnings about booking scams).
Primary conference hotel. $189/night + tax, resort fee waived through the official block. Walk from your room to sessions in under five minutes. Mon Ami Gabi's patio and Gordon Ramsay Steak are downstairs. Book early — LVTAF sold out in 2024.
Overflow hotel, directly adjacent to Paris. $109/night + tax through the official block. Connected to Paris via indoor walkway — you're still a 5-minute walk from sessions. Solid budget option that saves $80/night over Paris without any real inconvenience.
It's Vegas. If you've never been or want to decompress after four days of trade show, add a night. Shows, restaurants, the Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, and the Neon Museum are all here. Mid-May weather is warm and dry — perfect pool weather before summer heat kicks in.
A thousand agents and 350 suppliers in one building for four days. The repeated exposure is your advantage — you'll keep bumping into the same people at sessions, on the trade show floor, and at the bar. That's not an accident. It's the format working as designed.
1. Dinner is the real event. Lunches are sponsored and structured. Dinner is unstructured. Organize a table of 6-8 at Mon Ami Gabi or Gordon Ramsay Steak and mix people you know with people you just met. The conversations that happen over wine are the ones that turn into referral partnerships.
2. The evening receptions are mandatory. Wednesday and Thursday nights each have a networking event — one offsite (usually something distinctly Vegas like Atomic Golf or BrewDog), one poolside at Paris. Show up to both. The casual setting makes it easier to approach someone you've been meaning to talk to.
3. The roundtables are structured networking. You're sitting with 15-20 other agents who chose the same product category as you. That room contains your peers. Trade cards with everyone at your table, not just the supplier presenting.
4. Work the trade show with intention. Don't wander. Have a list. But leave room for the booth that catches your eye unexpectedly. Some of the best supplier relationships start with a conversation you didn't plan to have.
5. Follow up before you land. Don't wait until Monday. Text or email every meaningful contact on your flight home. "Great talking at the roundtable about [specific topic]. Let's connect next week." Specificity proves you were paying attention.
SELECT is LVTAF's hosted buyer program, and it's one of the main reasons top-producing agents keep coming back. If you book more than $1 million in annual travel, you're eligible to apply for a spot that comes with airfare reimbursement, complimentary hotel, and access to exclusive events that the general registration doesn't include.
The application process is rigorous. TravelSMG evaluates your sales volume, year-over-year growth, supplier references, and professional standing. In 2022, 150 SELECT delegates generated over 4,000 one-to-one appointments and 900+ roundtable meetings. In 2024, 112 SELECT agents participated in the Breakfast Showcase. These aren't vanity numbers — suppliers pay premium rates for access to this group, and the format creates real business opportunities.
Beyond the travel scholarship and hotel, SELECT delegates get access to the "Ultimate Breakfast" and "Ultimate Lunch" sessions — intimate, invite-only meals with specific suppliers where you're sitting across the table from a brand's decision-makers, not standing in line at a booth. The one-to-one meeting program matches you with suppliers for structured 15-minute appointments that would take weeks to arrange on your own.
The Friday morning "Breakfast Bonanza" is the finale — a showcase format where 10 suppliers present to the full SELECT group. Think of it as a concentrated version of the trade show floor with higher-caliber suppliers and a captive audience. If you qualify for SELECT, apply. Applications for 2026 are typically open through mid-fall.
The $1 million threshold isn't going to work for everyone, especially newer agents. That's fine. The full attendee package still gives you access to every education session, every roundtable, the entire trade show floor, and both evening networking receptions. You'll be in the same rooms and hallways as SELECT delegates. The only difference is the private meal events and structured one-to-ones. Build your book, come back next year, and apply.
Cruise Pirate is the first host agency built from the ground up with AI at its core. 90/10 split, custom quote URLs, AI search, automated payouts, and a built-in CRM — all live. Only 200 founding agent spots at $50/mo or $405/year.
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