FORT RUCKER, Ala. (March 13, 2015) -- Finding the perfect vacation can be time consuming, but this year's Travel Extravaganza gave people more than just options, it also gave them experiences.
The 27th annual Travel Extravaganza brought more than 1,100 people and 67 vendors to The Landing's ballroom March 4, and awarded more than 80 door prizes, including three grand prizes -- a one-week Armed Forces Vacation Club stay, three nights at either Punta Cana or Sandpiper Club Med all-inclusive resorts, and four admissions with lunch with an astronaut from the Kennedy Space Center.
"The 2015 Travel Extravaganza was the largest ever and patrons were thrilled with the diverse group of vendors," said Michelle Harris, Fort Rucker MWR Central program manager.
People were able to browse vendors that provided vacations to Panama City Beach, Destin and Orlando, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia; and even the Caribbean through cruises or all-inclusive vacations. People even had the opportunity to pet a live alligator from Gatorland in Orlando and talk with representatives from the Kennedy Space Center.
"Events like the Travel Extravaganza show our appreciation for the active-duty and retired service members and their families, as well as the civil service population's service to our country," said Harris, adding that many vendors offered discounts throughout the event.
Julie Brahman, military spouse, said she came out to the event to explore vacation ideas for her family as spring weather makes its way back into the area.
"The weather is warming up, so I really wanted to see what might be around here that would be a good place for our family to go on vacation," she said, adding that the beaches are always a good go-to vacation spot in a pinch.
Planning a vacation can be difficult for military families, so Brahman said that the Travel Extravaganza is a good way to help get a lot of the planning out of the way.
"It can get tough trying to plan out vacation time with how busy my husband and I are while raising a family, so any chance we can get away, we try to do something special," she said. "I think it's great that (Fort Rucker) put this Travel Extravaganza together so that you can browse your options all in one place."
Not only does it provide a one-stop shop for vacation planning and helps families familiarize themselves with what's available locally, but it also provides a way to think outside of the box, said the mother of two.
"Sure, it's easy to go on the Internet and look up where might be a good place to go on vacation, but when you have these vendors here in front of you, you have the opportunity to see places and ideas you might not have thought of in the first place," said Brahman. "It's definitely exposed us to some interesting places and given us a lot of ideas for vacations, not only for this year, but for years to come."
The event was also a good place for people to discover what the local areas have to offer in terms of recreation and casual day trips.
"The preparation for this event began the week following last year's Travel Extravaganza," said the program manager. "We determine what worked and what needed to be changed … then the MWR Central team goes about organizing, planning and preparing the details that make our event the best in the southeast region."
Related Links:
USAACE and Fort Rucker on Twitter
Social Sharing