Anh Chu, a third-year international development studies student, is from the Bay Area and said she often finds it a hassle to book cheap flights, but she said opportunities like travel fairs help make the process easier.
The eighth annual UCLA Travel Fair, hosted by UCLA Travel Center, will take place today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ackerman Union Grand Ballroom.
The event will serve as an opportunity for anyone interested in traveling abroad to meet with all of the suppliers and vendors in order to get information on educational, business and leisure travel.
Students who do not live within the Los Angeles vicinity sometimes find it difficult to travel back home. Opportunities such as the UCLA Travel Fair can make traveling easier and less confusing for students. UCLA students are also eligible for various discounts from select vendors.
“I think people find it to be beneficial,” Chu said of the fair.
Prizes and giveaways will be raffled off during the event, including hotel stays and free airline tickets.
Almost 70 vendors will be featured, encompassing a variety of aspects of the travel industry, including airlines, hotels, rental-car companies, study-abroad programs and airport parking facilities. Vendors such as Air France, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and STA Travel will be there to answer any questions or concerns about any tentative trips.
“The purpose of the event is to get information to plan trips,” said Belinda Borden, travel sales manager for UCLA Travel Center.
Organizations that specialize in various parts of the world will offer their expertise. Tourist bureaus will also be present, such as Taiwan Visitors Association and Jamaica Tourist Board.
“The biggest attraction is leisure travel. … We try to get something for everyone,” Borden said.
For those interested in study abroad or internships, programs such as Study Abroad Italy, the Danish Institute for Study Abroad, UCLA Internship and Study Abroad Services, and UCLA Education Abroad Program will be featured at the fair.
“Any student who’s interested in study abroad should come to the travel fair. Many people can answer their questions,” Borden said.
There will be approximately 20 study-abroad organizations at the travel fair, all specializing in different areas of the world.
UCLA Travel Center first had its travel fair in 2001, and they are generally successful in terms of turnout, Borden said.
“We generally get over 1,000 people coming through,” Borden said.
Though the UCLA Travel Center itself is generally used by UCLA’s faculty and staff, they offer services to students for business-travel purposes, Borden said. The Travel Center also participates in a fair for student organizations.
“We can only do travel for students if they’re doing UCLA business, like graduate students who travel on UCLA business,” Borden said. “Anytime the university is paying for travel, we can do it.”
Representatives from UC Travel, Travel Accounting and Travel Express will also be present at the fair to address any concerns about the specific travel process at UCLA regarding any business travel.
Students planning on traveling, or even just interested in doing any traveling, are encouraged to go to the fair.
“I think that this is a great opportunity for students to get information for travel abroad, either for studying or vacation,” Borden said.