St. Joseph to host international tour operators and writers
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is hosting 12 international tour operators and journalists as they look to explore all the city has to offer.
The visit comes as part of the Travel South USA International Showcase, which is currently being held in Kansas City, Missouri.
Those visiting are representing the United States, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Tour operators specialize in selling travel experiences to independent travelers and are always seeking new ideas and destinations to offer clients. The visiting journalists are travel writers who specialize in stories to inspire individuals to travel.
The opportunity is part of a familiarization experience aimed at educating the tour operators and journalists on travel and tourism opportunities. Specifically, their visit to the region signals growth in international interest and is an opportunity for communities to leave a strong impression.
"It's not every day we get to welcome a dozen people whose job is to plan or write about international experiences," said Christian Mengel, director of communications and marketing at the CVB. "Maybe not all of them have previously heard of St. Joseph, but they have all heard of something related to our story. So, it's an incredible opportunity for them to spend time in the region exploring St. Joseph and putting names with places for their audiences to visit someday."
During their time in St. Joseph, guests will explore unique places known to attract a strong amount of international attention, such as the Pony Express Museum, the Patee House and Jesse James Home and the Glore Psychiatric Museum.
Travel South's International Showcase is the top marketplace event for the South, which is the region international travelers widely recognize Missouri in, according to a news release.
Over 400 tourism professionals gather for three days of intensive meetings with the goal of delivering more visitors, spending more time and more money in the southern region of the United States.
For more information on Travel South USA or the Travel South International Showcase, visit its website.
