Every January, the American Bus Association (ABA) welcomes the travel and tour community to the industry’s premier business event, the ABA Annual Meeting and Marketplace, which features more than 3,500 tour operators, suppliers, and exhibitors.

Representatives of Union Station Parking Garage (USPG) and USRC take part in this annual event for business opportunities and educational seminars. In addition, they learn about upcoming regulations that will affect the travel and tour industry and connect and market with old colleagues and make new contacts. This year, in Louisville, KY, LaJuana Jones, USPG Senior Project Manager, Pedro Fonseca, USPG Bus Deck Facilities Manager, and Nzinga Bryant, USRC Vice President and Director of Finance and Administration met with hundreds of tour operators and provided information about Union Station, including the transportation options, retail, restaurants, public events, and marketing and parking opportunities with USPG. With bus parking being so limited within the District of Columbia, USPG wants to ensure that operators are aware they can park their buses at Union Station and participate in the voucher program that provides meals at selected restaurants within the station. Please visit www.unionstationdc.com/food-voucher-program for details about this initiative.

Ms. Jones participated in this year’s speed networking event. Last year, she had 57 appointments and, with USPG’s continued growth in the ABA Marketplace, this year she obtained requests from over 75 charter and tour operators to provide information about Union Station. The Union Station representatives appreciate the feedback they received from the travel and tour community and look forward to taking part in this event again next year in Omaha, NE.