ABAV: International Benchmark for the Travel Industry

ABAV International Tourism Show is the largest and most important business fair for the travel industry throughout the American continent and Southern Hemisphere. It’s organized by the most representative tourism entity in Brazil: the Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies (ABAV is the Spanish acronym), which gathers over 80 percent of the national sales force, including national and international destinations.

Since it puts together the most outstanding agencies in an effort to ink the best business, the association ratifies the status of international benchmark that has been won by the event through the years, so representatives from over 60 countries interact with Brazil’s market, whose economy ranks eight around the globe.

With an increasing significance in terms of the sector’s fairs, ABAV – International Tourism Show is about to reach its 42nd edition, to be held on September 24 – 28, 2014, at Anhembi’s Exhibition Pavilion, nestled in the city of San Pablo, the main financial, corporative and market center of South America.

As the event features a high average of qualified participation of travel agents from different market niches, plus the presence of 800 hosted buyers, this edition will be fostering meetings among 3,500 exhibitors, representatives from 65 countries and 40 thousand professional visitors, from every segment of the industry. Furthermore, it will decisively contribute to the consolidation of business among companies from the five continents, thus favoring the sector’s global productive chain.

The list of exhibitors includes Brazilian and international airlines, the most prestigious tour operators from the national and international market, cruise companies, MICE companies, the main representatives of the hotel sector, national and international media, car rental companies, technology companies linked to the industry, as well as ski centers, ecotourism and adventure tourism.

A recent study conducted by the Tourism Observatory, a research institution linked to the University of San Pablo (USP), showed that 2013 ABAV brought about new business for 74 percent of the exhibitors. In the same breath, the study pointed out that 37 percent of the interviewees estimated an increase of business volume between R$ 51 thousand and more than R$250 as a result of the event. The profile of visitors – 59 percent directors and managers, 34 percent of which say the last word when it comes to buying and 44 percent has influence in the planning process – helps to understand the excellence of the results achieved.

Organized by Promo Inteligencia Turística, the event will once again count on the support of Abeta (Brazilian Association of Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism Companies), Abracorp (Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies – Isla Corporativa) and Braztoa (Brazilian Association of Tour Operators – 41st Braztoa Market Meeting), as well as the Ministry of Tourism, Embratur, San Pablo Tourism and Anhembi.

As for its main strategic partnerships, 2014 ABAV renews its alliance with ITB Berlin and BTL (Portugal), complemented by the support of entities like APAVT (Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism) and those whose influence carpet the whole South America.

They are AAAVYT (Argentinean Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism), ABAVYT (Bolivian Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism), ACHET (Chilean Association of Tourism Companies), ANATO (Colombian Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism), ASATUR (Paraguayan Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism Companies), APAVIT (Peruvian Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism), AUDAVI (Uruguayan Association of Travel Agencies) and AVAVIT (Venezuelan Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism).