Palm Springs, Calif. – April 30, 2012 – Last week, the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism and five hotel partners met with nearly 70 tour operators and travel companies at Pow Wow in Los Angeles, April 21-25, the travel industry’s premier international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the U.S. The Palm Springs hotel partners that participated were ACE Hotel, Hotel Zoso, Hyatt Regency Suites, Palm Springs Travelodge and Renaissance Palm Springs.

The Bureau of Tourism shared the large booth space with the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention & Visitors Authority and their tourism partners. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway had an independent booth and appointments next to the Bureau of Tourism. Palm Springs was well represented and showcased in the California section of the tradeshow.

“The benefit of attending Pow Wow is meeting with qualified international tour operators to generate new and repeat business that we would not be able to establish unless we traveled the globe multiple times a year,” said Mary Jo Ginther, Director of Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.

In addition to the travel trade audience, more than 400 international and domestic media attended the Pow Wow Media Marketplace. The Bureau of Tourism met with numerous qualified media to discuss story opportunities and future press visits to Palm Springs.

For tour operators and media who actually wanted to experience the destination, the Bureau of Tourism partnered with VisitCalifornia and the CVA for a post Pow Wow FAM trip, April 26-29, for over 30 international tour operators and media to showcase the Palm Springs area. Guests were from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Romania, Signapore, UK, Ukraine and the United States.

The host hotel was the Renaissance Palm Springs, and Palm Springs activities included Desert Adventures Jeep Tours, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Villagefest, Palm Springs Follies, Spa Resort Casino, Palm Springs Air Museum and Taking of the Waters Spa Experience. Site visits and receptions were held at Colony 29, Travelodge, ACE Hotel, Hyatt Regency Suites, and dining at LuLu and El Mirasol at Los Arboles. In addition, visits were made to La Quinta Resort & Club, Westin Mission Hills Resort, Shield’s Date Garden, The Living Desert, and Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, as well as a dine-around of El Paseo.

“We appreciate the assistance of our tourism partners for this super FAM trip,” added Mary Jo Ginther. “These trips showcase why Palm Springs is truly like no place else.” The Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism plans to attend the 2013 Pow Wow, which will be held in Las Vegas.

As destination marketing organization for the City of Palm Springs, California, it is the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism’s goal to increase the City’s exposure as a world class, year round leisure destination, thus increasing the transient occupancy and sales taxes generated for the City. For visitor information, go to www.VisitPalmSprings.com.

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