Scenes from IPW 2015

Orlando has opened its doors to 5,000 attendees – including international travel buyers, domestic travel buyers and international journalists representing more than 70 countries – for the annual IPW Marketplace, now on from May 31 to June 3.

Showcasing tourism product from across the United States, IPW is referred to as “the largest generator of travel to the U.S.,” as negotiations over the next three days are estimated to generate more than $4.7 billion in future travel business.

Participants have been taking advantage of the opportunity to show-off their product offering, and PAX has been taking it all in.

Here are a few highlights:

Irresistible Colorado

Who would have thought that Colorado has such a burgeoning food and drink scene? With accomplished and artful farmers and chefs on hand, the Taste of Colorado event on Saturday night enlightened guests to locally-sourced foods, in addition to the state’s craft beer, wine and spirits. The mood was light and the pours were heavy – a successful evening all-round!

Warming up to Washington

Showing-off the cool side of Washington, D.C., the destination, in partnership with Big Bus Tours, hosted an IPW pre-party at ICEBAR. A great opportunity to chill-out before official events began on Sunday.

Welcome to Orlando

The host city isn’t wasting any opportunity to remind attendees of exactly where they are – a top tourism destination worldwide, having welcomed 62 million visitors (domestic and international) in 2014. Taking place at the brand new I-Drive 360 entertainment and dining complex, media guests from across the globe had the chance to explore attractions such as the Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds and Sea Life Aquarium.

Hanging with Harry

It was then on to Universal Orlando, which continues to experience unprecedented growth. The theme park announced last week that it will unveil the new Volcano Bay experience in 2017. Yesterday, they introduced yet another addition to the scene: the world’s first-ever NBC Sports Grill & Brew. Opening this fall at Universal CityWalk, the dining experience is designed to reflect the excellence and excitement of NBC Sports’ award-winning coverage. After learning of the news, PAX then went on to enjoy the park’s adventures, such as all things Harry Potter (including a ride on the Hogwarts Express and indulging in Butterbeer), the Transformers 3D and the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman.

Disney Bedazzled

IPW 2015 officially kicked-off in style at Walt Disney World, ­where 5,000 professionals were given permission to tap into their inner child. An evening of frozen popcorn, cocktails and a lot of rides was topped off with an epic fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom.

Stay tuned to PAX as we report on all the news coming out of IPW over the next few days.