Congressman Sam Farr to Address NTA Spring Meet Delegates
May 12, 2009
Congressman Sam Farr to Address NTA Spring Meet Delegates NTA to Honor Canadian Gordon Bell and Congressman Sam Farr with Pioneer AwardContact: Sara Spencer
sara.spencer@NTAstaff.com
800.682.8886
859.226.4418 May 12, 2009
Congressman Sam Farr to Address NTA Spring Meet Delegates
Representative Sam Farr, D-California, will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday breakfast during the 2009 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet in Monterey, California, June 4-6. The California Congressman, who has served as co-chair of the Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus since 1997, is a long-time friend of the industry and NTA.
"NTA is extremely honored to have Congressman Farr address delegates at the Spring Meet," said NTA President Lisa Simon, CTP. "His influential leadership in Congress on tourism policy has benefited our industry for more than a decade."
During the Spring Meet, Farr will update delegates on travel and tourism priorities, such as the Travel Promotion Act, funding for federal lands and the Travel to Cuba Act. In addition, he will share his vision for promoting travel and tourism on Capitol Hill. Farr also will entertain questions from tour operators about the issues they are facing and how he and other elected representatives can better address their needs.
"Congressman Farr is undoubtedly our champion in Congress," added Simon. "Most recently, he worked to secure more than $2 billion in appropriations for improved National Parks and public lands. This is significant because the parks are vital to the tourism landscape, and funding their enhancement is one of NTA’s top seven issues for 2009."
NTA to Honor Canadian Gordon Bell and Congressman Sam Farr with Pioneer Award
The National Tour Association Board of Directors has selected Gordon Bell and Sam Farr as the recipients of the 2009 Pioneer Award. The award, which was established in 2005, will be presented during the 2009 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet. This award honors individuals whose accomplishments have resulted in a significant change in the travel industry from which NTA and its members have benefited.
Gordon Bell, who will receive the award posthumously, was owner of Three Valley Gap Heritage Ghost Town and Chateau Three Valley Lake in Revelstoke, British Columbia. In 1961, Bell and his wife started the heritage town, which now contains numerous historic buildings such as an automobile museum, a buggy and wagon shop, and a theatre, making it a popular tourist destination for travelers from all over the world.
Sam Farr, D-California, has been an advocate for the travel and tourism industry for more than a decade. Addressing issues such as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the Travel Promotion Act and Improving Public Diplomacy through the International Travel Act, Farr has backed travel and tourism in Washington, D.C., ensuring the industry’s voice is heard.
"The NTA Pioneer Award was established to honor those who have made a lasting contribution to our industry and these two men exemplify a pioneering spirit in every sense of the word," said NTA President Lisa Simon, CTP. "Each of these men have demonstrated remarkable ambition that NTA is proud to recognize."
For more information on the NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet, please visit http://www.NTAonline.com/springmeet. The National Tour Association is the preferred association in the tourism industry for packaged travel professionals. NTA strives to provide value for its members by advancing the packaged travel industry through its advocacy efforts and progressive leadership. Connecting its members through business development, government relations, professional development and research, NTA has remained committed to serving its members with integrity and quality service since its founding in 1951. Today, the NTA membership represents 40 countries, and includes tour and travel packagers of all types. To learn more about the most important destination for packaged travel professionals, please visit http://cms.ntaonline.com/cms/articles/www.NTAonline.com.
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