SAM Magazine-Denver, Mar. 5, 2010-Despite a sluggish ski season hampered by the ongoing U.S. recession, mountain resort communities from around the U.S and Canada are sending hundreds of sales representatives to Banff, Alberta for the 35th annual Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) Week Apr. 11-17. The Symposium's two trade shows allow marketers and travel packagers to negotiate and write orders for next season.

Two distinctive tradeshows-the Trade Exchange for domestic and international tour operators, and the Group Exchange for ski clubs and councils-accompany a two-day educational forum. An estimated 900 people have already registered, and individual appointment times during the Trade Exchange are nearly booked. Attendance of more than 1,000 is expected.

To help plan for future events, MTS has selected dates and places for the 2011 to 2013 Symposia: Beaver Creek, Apr. 3-9, 2011; Resort at Squaw Creek, Apr. 15-21, 2012; and Snowmass, Colo., Apr. 7-13, 2013.