Lauren just returned from The Family Travel Association’s annual Summit.  The gathering of family travel agents, family travel media/bloggers, family friendly suppliers, researchers as well as Royal Caribbean and association staff took place aboard Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas which sailed out of Port Canaveral.  The Family Traveler was also the selected agency to book the cabins for the meeting (as we were the first agency to join) which allowed us the chance to better get to know all of the attendees.  A pre-cruise night stay at the Marriott Courtyard in Cocoa Beach included an informative dinner with local suppliers including hotels, activities and the port.  Then the 4-night cruise sailed to Nassau, but was unable to send tender boats to the private island of Cocoa Cay due to weather.  This gave us more opportunities to network and learn through keynote speakers, small group discussions and one-on-one meetings.  There were many highlights of the Summit including a discussion with Sven-Olaf Lindblad of Lindblad Expeditions about how to provide diverse aspiration for all ages while traveling, a variety of research to show the growth and direction of family travel, learning about and understanding the diversity of travelers and hearing about the Red Trunk Project which is a cultural initiative to spark global dialogue for a more inclusive future for children.  We met with suppliers as diverse as Kids Sea Camp (see above) to Martinhal Hotels and Resorts which are specifically designed for families and located in Portugal.  In Nassau, the show took place at the historical British Colonial Hilton.  Afterward, Lauren ventured to the Junkanoo World Museum with other agents to learn about this colorful festival, amazing costumes and history.  It proved to be a worthwhile experience despite its location outside of the downtown area.  The family-friendly experience includes hands on drumming or an art project based on Junkanoo costume techniques. The Family Traveler Association’s mission is to inspire family to travel – and travel more – while advocating for travel as an essential part of every child’s education.  This is a practice we greatly value in our agency and through the trips we book for you each and every day.  Check out http://familytravel.org for more details and to see their diverse membership.