Today I embark on a two-week adventure. I’ll be heading to Dubai for this year’s Arabian Travel Market. It’ll be my first time at the show; but looking at the number of meetings I have, I can’t help but understand how important the U.S. market must be for anyone in the international travel sectors. I’m excited to see what the conference offers and also hope I’ll have enough time to enjoy some of Dubai’s grandeur while there. Look out for some of my Kodak moments, as I’ll be testing out two different properties, the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina as well as Jumeirah Emirates Towers. I’m ready to be blown away. I’m also flying with Turkish Airlines for another first. It’s silly to admit I’ve never flown with Turkish Airlines, considering I was born and raised in Istanbul. Following my week in Dubai, I’ll be heading to Helsinki, Finland, for another first-time experience. I decided to forgo a lot of research prior to my visit, as I want to take a different approach compared to my meticulously planned Dubai trip. I will have a much more go-with-the-flow, let-the-good-times-roll kind of attitude and let Helsinki surprise me with its Scandinavian charm. Check in for exciting updates coming up soon! — Banu Yilmaz, advertising director