Every Duck needs to know how to fly.

With hundreds of travel coordinators on campus helping students, faculty and staff jet off to conferences, interviews and meetings — as well as orchestrating the arrival of visiting scholars, job candidates and other academics — the traveling process is often daunting to all involved.

That’s why the University of Oregon Business Affairs Office holds the annual Travel Fair, an event that brings international and domestic travel vendors to campus to offer advice and information that will help traveling for academic purposes go as smoothly as possible.

The free fair takes place Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Erb Memorial Union ballroom.

While the event typically draws UO travel coordinators throughout various departments, travelers themselves are encouraged to attend to get more information on some hidden deals, helpful agencies and lesser-known tips on airplane, car and train travel.

“This is a great way for people to get face-to-face with providers,” said Laurie Jacoby, the travel manager in the UO Business Affairs Office. “People will be able to compare products and services all in one spot.”

The UO has an annual budget of $20 million per year for travel expenses.

The fair will feature representatives from a range of travel companies, as well as reps from local hotels and airlines. While they will have tables set up for attendees to find useful information, 30-minute educational breakout meetings throughout the day will allow the expected 300 to 400 fairgoers to get up-to-date information about specific traveling risks and benefits.

“We hope people come away having made relationships with vendors and will get to know some go-to people when they need to travel,” said Brooke Millett-Montgomery, the travel program technician in the Business Affairs Office.

— By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications