Jonny Talks with Marita Williams from AAA About 2025 Travel

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
All right, here we go again the Pittsburgh Travel Showcase
Antony Convention Center, brought to you about Triple A Travel.
And speaking of Triple A, we have Marina Williams. Now,
did I did I see you last year or the
year before or both years?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
I think both? Oh wow, okay, this is our eighth year. Though,
Oh you got to catch up?

Speaker 1 (00:22):
I do, I do, but I you know, there's a
lot of traveling to do. So what is the hot
thing for twenty twenty.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Five, Well, we found it's coming kind of keeping the
trend going from twenty twenty four. The cruising is really back, really,
and not just the Caribbean like European cruises, the ball takes,
even the Mediterranean is pretty hot right now, no pun intended,
but cruising's back, all inclusive resorts and we've got lots

(00:48):
of islands here today through the weekend and lots of
resorts as well.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Now, when weather gets as cold as it has been,
do you find people really want to start based really
get excited about, you know, something big exotic travel?

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Absolutely? Absolutely, And you know, ever since that nasty COVID
when we're coming back out of it, I know, I
hate even talking and mentioning it. But people are are
very attentative to where they're spending their dollars on their
vacation time. So they are going longer and buying up,

(01:24):
buying more luxury because they I think they've realized how
valuable that is when they didn't have it for a while.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
All right, So with a Triple A travel with what's
the advantage of coming to the showcase as opposed to
maybe going, you know, maybe checking out what Triple A
has throughout the year. What's the advantage of coming.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
To the showcase the biggest advantage here? Well, there's two
big advantages in my eyes. The first one is all
of our vendors are here. Cruise lines are here, tour
companies are here, destinations are here, hotels are here locally,
so you get to talk to the experts. And then
we have theaters throughout the floor and there's constant every

(02:03):
hour there is a travel presentation on a different destination
or whoever wants to present on their product. So that
and then the value. So this is what we call
wave season January, February and March, so to get the
best deals season, you know what, It's just an industry thing,
a travel industry thing.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
They don't.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
I don't know what where I think it started because
the cruise lines always came out with their best deals.
This is years and years ago. Always came out with
their best year, their best deals in January, February and March,
and then they coasted through the rest of the year.
But so they it kind of continued with everyone with
vendors that are guided tours or pretty much anything travel.

(02:44):
Their best deals now are January, February and March to
get your accommodations that you want, say you want to
go on a cruise, to get that balcony cabin in
the middle of the ship. You want a book now
because cruise lines are filling up, believe it or not,
there's so many out there.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
I can't believe it. Lines are getting bigger and bigger
and bigger, and they are selling out. They are really incredible. Now,
we talked about some of the exotic things and some
of the things like the cruises and the all inclusives,
but what I love about the showcase it also it
also highlights some of the local things that you can do.
So it's a stay something that's fairly close to Pittsburgh.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
Absolutely, we have the National or the Allegheny National Forest
is here, NEMA colin is here. Lots of Ohio destination
places are here, like Counties Cashockta, and even a lot
of Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands is here. Got lots of destinations.
And West Virginia and rail travel seems to be exploding.

(03:41):
Yes it is, and we have railbookers and Amtrak vacations
and Rocky Mountaineer and then a local West Virginia rail
company is here also.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
All right, So what is the one thing you want
people to know about the Pittsburgh Travel Showcase.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
I think it's the best time. It's such an experience.
I mean, you know, just come to book. We want
you to come and book, but you get ideas like
if you don't know where you want to go, or
maybe you come and you're leaving with a vacation that
you never even thought about until you stepped in here
and talked with the people and sat down with our
travel advisors.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
You may come in and intend on buying a you know,
a certain travel package, and then you right next door
is something that is really absolutely so you may even
you know, book that or maybe the next vacation. Consider
that there's so many options, That's why I love the Showcase. Yeah, Maria,
thank you so much. Good luck this year.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Thank you, Johnny,