HOLLYWOOD, Fl. — Vacation.com kicked off its 18th International Conference & Trade Show on May 22 at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida, featuring 130 hours of classes and seminars, a Supplier Partner Trade Show and General Sessions.

This year’s event, which features the theme ‘Connect More,’ welcomes a collective number of Vacation.com members that represent, in this year alone, in excess of $1.21 billion in supplier partner cruise and tour sales for 2015.

The biggest highlight of the Conference will be the six General Sessions featuring industry presentations and special guests, including an impressive CEO lineup. New this year is Supplier Partner Connections, unique 90-minute forums that focus on topics important to agents and their businesses.

Other highlights of this year’s conference include technology training, focus on all aspects of social media, supplier partner training, networking opportunities, and Vacation.com’s trademark Power Speaker sessions throughout the week. Noted industry speaker and author Mike Marchev and Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer of Future Proof Travel Solutions, will lead several seminars and brainstorming sessions. Members will also receive hands-on training related to Vacation.com programs and benefits through the ‘Experience Room.’

“Truly, this is one of the premier events of the entire year within our industry. The significant sales volume of our participating members is among the reasons why Vacation.com is able to attract such an enviable, powerful lineup of keynote speakers including CEOs such as Richard Fain, Frank Del Rio, Arnold Donald and Bruce Poon Tip,” stated Vacation.com President John Lovell, CTC. “We know our members attend Conference each year expecting top-level industry insights, incredible networking, and challenging educational programs. We will deliver on that, over the course of the next several days, with topics and sessions that will have an immediate impact on increasing sales opportunities, and helping our members retain clients and acquire new ones.”

To review Vacation.com’s entire Conference schedule of events, Trade Show exhibitor list and its agenda online, visit conference.joinvacation.com.