Pro Travel Tips

How to simplify your Market planning

If you want to plan every aspect of your Market travel and stay, right down to restaurant reservations, with just one phone call, make the call to Travel Quest Inc., our official Market concierge, at 336.434.3867. However, if you’re more of a do-it-yourself travel planner, Lee Allen, owner of Travel Quest Inc., is happy to share these tips to make the whole process a whole lot easier.

Flights

Allen says your first step when booking flights is to check the Plan Your Trip page of the High Point Market website for any discount codes. These special, Market-only discounts are available through partner airlines for flights to Greensboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte. All three airports are within two hours of High Point, and the discount codes might help you find the option that best fits your schedule and budget.

It’s also important to be flexible. If you’re flying in from what Allen calls a “non-competitive air route” (in other words, a small regional airport), you may be limited to only one or two flight options. Check Piedmont Triad International (PTI), Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), and Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) for the best fares – and don’t worry about paying more for ground transportation. High Point Market Authority offers free shuttle service from all three destinations.

“Piedmont Triad International Airport is not only the closest, it is also the only one to offer hourly shuttles and free bag checking at High Point Market.”

If convenience is your primary goal, the shuttles to and from Piedmont Triad International (GSO) run every hour, 8am to 7pm, and you won’t need a reservation. Plus, you can enjoy free bag check service, so you won’t have to lug your bags to the airport on your way home. Just leave them with the support staff at Market and pick them up at your final destination. It’s a great convenience that is only available at Piedmont Triad International.

“The airport shuttles to Charlotte and Raleigh run every two hours, and reservations are required. “They’re a great option if you have more time” Allen says. “Take a look at the shuttle schedules to make sure you’re not arriving too early. That way, you won’t get stuck with a long wait until your shuttle arrives.”

Hotels

One of Allen’s biggest hotel tips is to book early. “Try to book right after Market for the next one,” he says. “Early bookings tend to get special pricing, but that price can disappear fast, make sure you book right away after getting a price quote from your desired hotel.” The other advantage to booking early is that you have a much better chance of finding the perfect place to stay.

“Try to book right after Market for the next one.”
- Lee Allen, Travel Quest Inc.

“I find more and more people are asking for four-star hotels,” Allen continues. “But understand that there are only four four-star hotels in our area: the Grandover, the Proximity, and the O.Henry in Greensboro, and the Kimpton Cardinal in Winston-Salem. Availability is limited, so book as far in advance as possible.”

Grandover

Proximity

O. Henry

Free hotel-to-Market shuttles operate on a regular schedule throughout Market Week. Before you book, check the shuttle schedule to make sure your preferred hotel is on the route; some area hotels are not served, as they do not meet Market Authority standards.

Transportation

Finding your way around Market is the easy part. The Market Authority provides a robust complimentary shuttle service in the downtown area, and you are free to hop-on and off these shuttles throughout the week. Two continuous loops run from 7:30am – 8pm, providing easy access to almost every showroom and event.

It’s always a good idea to consult the Downtown Shuttle route maps before you schedule your showroom appointments, so you can maximize your at-Market efficiency. And, yes, it is a very good idea to set up appointments with the showrooms you want to visit, so your exhibitors can be prepared to give you the best possible experience. Market is officially open from 8am on Saturday morning until 5pm Wednesday evening. However, some exhibitors choose to open their showrooms a day early, on Friday, and some choose to start packing up on Wednesday morning, so we strongly recommend scheduling appointments for any Friday or Wednesday shopping you have on your list.

MyMarket and the MyMarket app are great tools for organizing and mapping your showrooms and events. When you find an exhibitor, seminar, or networking event you’d like to see, just add it to your MyMarket plan to keep all of the relevant information in one place. If you are an iPhone user, the MyMarket app automatically syncs your plan to your phone, and provides blue dot navigation to every Market building, and within some of our most popular destinations. Android users can consult MyMarket from their phones via our mobile-friendly website. However, navigation is only available through the app.

“Renting a car really isn’t necessary.”
- Lee Allen

If you need to get somewhere outside the downtown area, you’re covered there as well. The Go Anywhere shuttle will take you to any point within a three-mile radius of High Point. “Unless you want the convenience of not having to plan around a shuttle schedule, you won’t need a car,” says Allen. “If you do decide to drive, remember that on-site parking is limited in the Market area, but free Park & Ride lots are conveniently located and easy to use.”

Time-Frame

If you’ve ever heard someone say you can get great travel deals by booking at the last minute, put that out of your mind right now. About eight weeks before each Market’s opening day, flights, rental car reservations, and hotels start to fill up quickly – those that don’t can get awfully expensive.

According to Allen, “Your magic number should be 60. At 60 days to Market, bookings begin to increase substantially and prices start to rise. For the best deals and most choices, complete all of your reservations prior to that mark. If you find yourself making last-minute plans, you may be able to find more hotel options on Monday and Tuesday nights. Quite a few Market guests want to be back at their businesses as the work week begins, so rooms do start to free up as you get deeper into Market Week.

“No matter when you start making your plans or how long you plan to stay, please remember, we’re here to help,” says Allen. “If you ever need assistance booking a flight, rental car, or room, just call Travel Quest Inc. at 336.434.3867.”