New NTA Board of Directors set for 2023
December 20, 2022 / Headlines
Following a vote by NTA members, the composition of the association’s board of directors is now set for 2023. Jerry Varner, CTP, will chair the board. Varner, owner of Making Memories Tours in Washburn, Missouri, rises to the position after being elected as vice chair last year. Fraser Neave, CTP, of Wells Gray Tours in […]
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The talk at TREX: Insights from Travel Exchange ’22
December 7, 2022 / Headlines
By Bob Rouse At Travel Exchange in Reno, Nevada, last month, National Tour Association members generated business contracts, relationship-building, and community spirit. The annual conference also produced a wealth of insight into the packaged travel industry, according to NTA President Catherine Prather. “The feedback I’ve received from members indicates that the travel industry’s bumpy road […]
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NTA survey shows how operators face, meet current challenges
September 27, 2022 / Headlines
By Bob Rouse Responses to a late-summer survey of NTA tour operators show that travel demand has bounced back from pandemic lows, and while travel professionals are facing new challenges, they are also developing new solutions. “Our tour operators are hearing a call for flexibility, choice, and individual experiences within a group itinerary, and that’s […]
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NTA celebrates lift in pre-departure testing requirement
June 10, 2022 / Headlines
Today, the Biden administration will announce the lifting of the pre-departure testing requirement for inbound air travelers to the United States, effective June 12. The change comes after many months of advocating for a reversal of this and other COVID-related policies. With NTA members actively operating international inbound and outbound travel, NTA President Catherine Prather has […]
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Travel Exchange ’22: Find your Next
May 31, 2022 / Headlines
“It’s like seeing the future.” Catherine Prather should know. The president of NTA leads the packaged-travel association where she has worked for 28 years, attending every annual Travel Exchange and watching the future unfold every time. “When you go to Travel Exchange, you find the people and the ideas that are going to move you […]
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The best one yet
April 19, 2022 / Headlines
When we set our sights on Anchorage for NTA’s annual buyer retreat, Contact, we knew it was going to be good. But it was better. Buyers gave the event in the bayside Alaska city a 4.9 rating on a 5-point scale, according to the Contact ’22 evaluation completed by attendees. 93% of tour operators were happy with the 1:1 […]
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NTA business survey: Members reflect on 2021 and forecast the future
November 30, 2021 / Headlines
By Bob Rouse At the completion of a challenging year, NTA tour operators look for brighter days in 2022, but most don’t expect their company to catch up to pre-pandemic performance until 2023 or later. This and other insights emerged from NTA’s 2021 Year-end Business Survey, completed by buyer (tour operator) and seller (tour supplier […]
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Support the SAVE Act: Contact your U.S. Representative
October 7, 2021 / Headlines
Your company may be able to receive federal funds through the $16 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. A bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 2120, the Securing Access for Venue Equity (SAVE) Act, would expand eligibility to include travel businesses that had put people in seats in live-performance venues prior to the pandemic. NTA would […]
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NTA signs on to DEI pledge
September 23, 2021 / Headlines
The National Tour Association has signed on to a pledge that commits the association’s leaders and members to take purposeful action around diversity, equity, and inclusion. The pledge was initiated by Travel Unity, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing diversity in the travel industry. Following the recommendation of NTA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group, […]
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Tour operators retooling itineraries, looking forward to 2022
July 13, 2021 / Headlines
Viewing 2021 as a transition year—from pandemic to prosperity—tour operators are working with destination and supplier partners to get travelers back on the road. In a midyear business survey conducted by the National Tour Association June 16 through July 7, NTA members reported on current conditions and speculated on the future. Asked to provide an […]
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