It’s never too early to start planning your summer (or any season) getaway. In fact, making travel plans in the middle of winter might help chase away those January blues.

Whether your vacation destination is in the Laurel Highlands, halfway across the country, on another continent, on land or sea, you can get help with your planning at the Pittsburgh Travel Showcase.

AAA Travel will host the fourth annual event Jan. 24-26 in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“January and February is actually peak vacation booking season. It’s the top thought after the New Year’s resolution,” says the event producer Ida D’Errico. “People say, ‘It’s cold here, Mary, what are we going to do? Let’s start vacation planning.’ ”

Billed as the tri-state area’s only travel marketing event, the showcase offers presentations and exhibits from more than 80 local, national and international tour and railway companies, cruise lines, resorts, theme parks, attractions, visitors bureaus and more.

During the showcase, three theaters will host more than 47 presentations by travel companies and experts, D’Errico says. In addition to information on popular destinations around the globe, attendees can gather information on more specialized topics — including insider tips for visiting Alaska, river cruising and traveling by train.

“You can learn an awful lot about those places by attending those presentations,” D’Errico says.

Book now

Showcase visitors who book trips and make down payments may be eligible for exclusive discounts, credits, gift cards, upgrades or amenities.

AAA will host a travel game show with prizes each day: 4 p.m. Jan. 24-25 in the Discovery Theater and 2 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Exploration Theater.

Visitors also will have the opportunity to register to win vacation packages, including a cruise to Bermuda.

Another one-stop-shopping aspect of the showcase is visitors’ ability to apply for or renew U.S. passports. Agents from the U.S. Postal Service will be present to assist in the process.

Those interested in passports must bring these required documents:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship: Birth certificate with a raised seal AND a photocopy of the birth certificate

• Proof of identity: Driver’s license or state-issued identification card AND a photocopy of the front and back of the driver’s license or ID

• Check payable to “U.S. Department of State” for the passport fee

• Check payable to “U.S. Postal Service” for the processing fee

• Two passport photos: applicants can have photos taken at the showcase; fee is $15 per set. Passport photos also can be taken at locations including some FedEx and UPS shipping centers, pharmacies and retail stores, photography studios and U.S. passport offices, most of which are in post offices.

More information on passports is available at travel.state.gov.

Travel necessities

Representatives of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be on had to answer travel security questions, D’Errico says.

Attendees also can stock up on travel necessities in the AAA Travel store. Available items will include Travelon anti-theft bags and wallets, other Travelon accessories, luggage, luggage tags, car accessories, emergency road kits, RFID blocking devices and electrical adapters and converters.

Yearly attendance at the showcase averages about 8,000 to 9,000 would-be travelers, D’Errico says.

“It’s under-one-roof, convenient travel shopping,” she says. “Our feedback says that 90% of visitors say they would return. The value of the showcase is that, if you book your vacation on your own, you’re on your own. With the credibility of the AAA brand, you have the nation’s largest travel service behind you.”