Granite Travel Trade Expos draw 1,500+ advisors as fall tour wraps

The fall edition of the third annual Granite Travel Trade Expos has wrapped, drawing more than 1,500 travel advisors to shows across the country.

The Fall series, which kicked off in October, visited Winnipeg, MB, Red Deer, AB, Kelowna, BC, Surrey, BC, along with Ottawa, Kingston, Vaughan in Ontario, before ending in Hamilton on Nov. 6.

The Expos aims to bring vital exposure to agents in smaller markets that are often underserved, underscoring the importance of building relationships and face-to-face contact.

“The Expos are designed to bring a much more intimate, engaging experience for agents, giving them the ability to speak directly and in-depth with the experts from the destination,” said Bradley Dean of Granite Productions in a press release. “Granite’s differentiator in the market is selecting key secondary markets where agents are eager for face-to-face interaction with suppliers without having to jeopardize selling time to attend events in long distance locations.”

Nicole Perez, director of sales with Princess Hotels and Resorts said the expos “remain a cornerstone of our Canadian travel trade sales strategy.”

“These events offer invaluable access to travel agents from coast to coast, particularly in high-potential secondary markets that are essential to our continued growth and outreach,” Perez said in a statement.

Now in its third year, the expos connect top-producing travel agents with key suppliers in the communities where they do business. Each event features in-person consultations and presentations.

Hosted by Sal Buccellato, the events included a series of 15-minute supplier presentations, followed by a trade show, dinner, and prize giveaways.

“We’re incredibly grateful that suppliers have gone the extra mile to visit travel agents in our communities,” stated Sonya Thomas from Belleville, ON, operator of Journeys by Elizabeth, part of The Travel Agent Next Door. “In the past, most suppliers were only accessed in major cities that were often difficult for agents in smaller communities to access. The Granite Travel Trade Expos have changed that by bringing the suppliers we work with directly to the communities we serve.”

The Granite Travel Trade Expos are now gearing up for the Spring 2026 shows, kicking off in London, ON April 13, 2026. Supplier participation is limited to 36 suppliers per expo.

2025 Sponsors and Suppliers included: Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts, Princess Hotels & Resorts, St Kitts Tourism Authority, Adventure Canada, Air North - Yukon's Airline, Amstar DMC, Antigua & Barbuda Tourism, Aruba Tourism Authority, Auto Europe, Bahamas Tourist Office, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Barcelo Hotel Group, Blue Bay Hotels, Blue Diamond Resorts, Brightline, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, Cayman Islands Dept of Tourism, Coco Palm, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, Collette, Couples Resorts, Cuba Tourist Board, Dubai Tourism, Emotions by Hodelpa, Exodus Adventure Travels, Fort Myers, Henjo African Safaris, Holland America, Iberostar, IRYO, Jamaica Tourist Board, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Krystal Resorts, Montserrat Tourism Authority, Visit Detroit, Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board, Oasis Hotels & Resorts, Palladium Hotel Group, Palmaia, Playa Hotels & Resorts, Puerto Vallarta, Rocky Mountaineer, Sandals & Beaches Resorts, SATA Azores Airlines, Serenade Caribbean, Sirenis Hotels & Resorts, St.Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism, The Palace Company, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, The Special Travel Corporation, Transcend Cruises, Travel Texas, TTC Tour Brands, UnCruise Adventures, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya, Visit Central Florida, Visit Myrtle Beach, Visit Orlando, Viva Resorts by Wyndham, WestJet Vacations, Yukon Tours.

Mark your calendars

The complete 2026 Spring and Fall schedule is as follows:

Ontario

London, ON: April 13, 2026

Kitchener, ON: April 14, 2026

Barrie, ON: April 15, 2026

Oshawa, ON: April 16, 2026

Atlantic Canada

St. John's, NL: May 25, 2026

Halifax, NS: May 27, 2026

Moncton, NB: May 28, 2026

Western Canada

Winnipeg, MB: October 6, 2026

Red Deer, AB: October 7, 2026

Kelowna, BC: October 8, 2026

Ontario

Ottawa, ON: November 2, 2026

Kingston, ON: November 3, 2026

Markham, ON: November 4, 2026

Hamilton, ON: November 5, 2026

Multi-show discounts up to 20 per cent and sponsorship opportunities are available to vendors wishing to participate in the 2026 Expos.

For more information and registration visit www.GraniteTravelExpos.com or contact Bradley Dean brad@graniteproductions.ca.

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