The Maryland Motorcoach Association (MMA) has announced plans to host its 2025 Leader Marketplace in Gettysburg, marking the first time the event will take place in the historic Pennsylvania town.
“We’re excited to be heading to Gettysburg next year,” said Tim Wilson, president of the MMA. “We’re working closely with the CVB there and expect it to be an even bigger and better event.”
Although based in Maryland, the association occasionally holds events outside the state to offer members fresh destinations. Next year’s marketplace will feature the same focus on connecting tour operators and group leaders to plan new travel offerings.
Wilson, who became MMA president in January, said planning is already underway for the event, which will also include the organization’s operators’ meeting.
The announcement comes on the heels of a successful 2024 Leader Marketplace, which was held for the first time in Hagerstown, Maryland. The event took place at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, where attendees were surrounded by vintage aircraft displayed in an aircraft hangar.
“The CVB in Hagerstown really laid out the red carpet for us,” Wilson said. “The venue added an extra layer of excitement, with vintage planes inside the hangar and on the tarmac.”
Group travel is hot topic
The marketplace, which connects tour operators with group leaders, received strong feedback from attendees. Wilson noted that interest in group travel remains high, with increased participation from group leaders this year.
“Group travel is still generating a lot of enthusiasm,” Wilson said. “We were thrilled to see our members so engaged, and the marketplace created a lot of buzz around what’s coming next.”
In addition to the marketplace, MMA hosted an operators’ meeting that included sessions on taxes and marketing. Attendees also toured the Volvo engine factory, an excursion arranged by Jay Snead, Prevost’s New Coach Southeast Regional Sales Manager.
Motorcoach operators, particularly in the retail tour sector, are seeing positive trends as the travel industry continues to recover. Wilson says MMA members have observed an uptick in retail tours, including senior group travel packages.
MMA’s next major event is the annual Holiday Celebration, scheduled for Dec. 10 aboard the Spirit of Baltimore. The celebration brings together motorcoach operators, industry partners, and travel partners for a festive evening.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to get together, relax, and celebrate the season,” Wilson said. “We all get a chance to connect on a personal level, away from the bus business.”
