Jeffrey Lehmann to Speak at THETRADESHOW

Popular Host of PBS’s Weekend Explorer

Alexandria, Va., June 2, 2006 – THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo) is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Lehmann, host and producer of PBS’s acclaimed travel show Weekend Explorer, will be speaking on Sept. 10, 2006, on THESHOWSTAGE. THESHOWSTAGE will be set up at THETRADESHOW’s Consumer Day where attendees will have an opportunity to hear industry experts speak about travel. Lehmann’s show is seen by more than 10 million viewers each week, on over 210 PBS stations nationally. His show is watched in Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, and a dozen other countries. Lehmann will appear courtesy of TravelVideoStore.com.

“THETRADESHOW partners are elated that TravelVideoStore.com has signed Jeffrey Lehmann as one of the featured speakers on THESHOWSTAGE,” said ASTA Executive Vice President and COO Bill Maloney, CTC. “At the start of his career, Lehmann owned a travel agency that specialized in adventure travel. Since then his thirst of adventure has lead him all over the world and he will be able to share his experiences, along with his extensive knowledge of travel with attendees.”

Lehmann’s show Weekend Explorer has received eight Telly Awards in informational and travel and sports/adventure categories. He has also received an Emmy Award as the host of Weekend Explorer. Barnstormer Productions, Lehmann’s production company has worked on projects for NBC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, PBS, HBO, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, and the BBC.

He currently has three new travel related series in development. 

"TravelVideoStore.com is proud to sponsor Jeffrey Lehman of Weekend Explorer,” said President of TravelVideoStore.com, Don Wyatt. “Weekend Explorer brings a fresh, young approach for adventure travelers to experience our world. Lehman is not only the host of the series, but is a true adventurer himself, bringing realism to Weekend Explorer that will excite and motivate adventure travelers."

Lehmann has traveled all over the world since he was fourteen. Some of Lehmann’s adventures include: kayaking through waterfalls, scaling glaciers, diving with sharks, bicycling the Sierra Nevada, rock climbing in the Rockies, whitewater rafting California’s Gold Country, searching for whales off Cape Cod’s coast, exploring old ghost towns and studying the ancient Pueblo Indians of New Mexico.

THETRADESHOW will take place the second week of September every year and will be held in Orlando (Sept. 10-12, 2006) in even years and Las Vegas (Sept. 9-11, 2007) in odd years. THETRADESHOW will host more than 3,000 travel sellers and 1,000 consumers in just three days at one site. Formed from the partnership of the leading travel associations, THETRADESHOW will include two full days of open floor trade show, business-to-business appointments, a trade and consumer day (Sunday) and two trade only days (Monday and Tuesday). Travel sellers will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with suppliers and to learn in-depth about their products.

The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE), International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), ITB Berlin, Performance Media Group, LLC (Agent@Home, Cruise & Vacation Agent and Modern Agent), Travel Trade, Travel Weekly, eturboNews, JaxFax, Recommend, Canadian Travel Press, TravelAge West, National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA), National Tour Association (NTA), Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), The Travel Institute, U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and USA Today have signed on as partners of THETRADESHOW.

For more information on THETRADESHOW, call 1.866.870.9333 or visit www.THETRADESHOW.org.

THETRADESHOW (Travel Retailing And Destination Expo) is a 3-day, in-depth networking and educational event. Global and inclusive, THETRADESHOW, powered by ASTA and ITB Berlin, unites under one roof travel suppliers and buyers from all over the world, representing every segment of the travel and tourism industry. It is the trade show event for travel decision makers.

Contact: Kristina Rundquist/Liz Connolly 703-739-8710

                pr@thetradeshow.org