Each year, ETC’s Premier Annual Gathering for Educational & Affinity Travel brings together institutional travel planners, destinations, tour operators, and industry partners from across the globe to exchange ideas, build relationships, and collaboratively shape future educational and affinity travel programs.
Every Educational Travel Consortium conference is intentionally designed to strengthen professional relationships, encourage meaningful exchange, and support the ongoing development of educational and affinity travel programs. The conference experience is built around three interconnected elements that create value for both institutional travel planners and DOS members.
ETC’s structured tabletop marketplace creates dedicated space for direct conversations between institutional travel planners, destinations, operators, and suppliers actively developing future travel programs and partnerships.
Shared meals, receptions, and social gatherings provide opportunities for informal conversation, peer exchange, and relationship-building across the educational travel community.
Conference sessions feature experienced practitioners and thought leaders exploring the evolving realities of educational and affinity travel, including operational best practices, traveler engagement, risk considerations, sustainability, destination trends, and emerging industry challenges.
The Educational Travel Consortium offers a limited number of sponsorship opportunities tied to key conference experiences, educational programming, networking events, and delegate resources. Sponsorship provides meaningful visibility among institutional travel planners, destinations, operators, and industry partners actively developing educational and affinity travel programs. Many sponsorship opportunities are renewed annually by longstanding ETC partners, and remaining inventory is limited. Available sponsorships are allocated on a first-paid, first-confirmed basis.
All sponsors receive enhanced visibility throughout the conference, including recognition within the International Bazaar and Partners’ Boulevard, conference materials, digital communications, and the ETC member network. Sponsorship opportunities may also include hosted networking events, plenary recognition, expanded delegate participation, and year-round exposure through ETC platforms and communications. To learn more about current sponsorship opportunities and review current availability, contact caliopy@educationaltravelconsortium.com.
“We choose to sponsor ETC to give our destination an enhanced platform and maximum exposure. There are so many destinations throughout the world competing to capture group business from ETC’s travel planners and tour operators—sponsorship gives us the vital standout we need.
Whether we are sponsoring a breakfast or a dedicated talk, it ensures the audience remembers that Ireland is here, active, and ready to partner. That elevated exposure is incredibly valuable to our business.”
Paul McDonagh
Trade & Industry Engagement Manager – Tourism Ireland
“I find so much value in coming to ETC, to learn from the most qualified, introspective and well-spoken people, to get inspired, and to connect with a truly special community of travel professionals in this unique niche market of educational travel.”
Lisa Benshea,
Manager of Travel & Special Programs,
Santa Barbara Museum of Art