NTA Announces Top Five Selling Summer North American Destinations

May 26, 2004

NTA Announces Top Five Selling Summer North American Destinations
May 26, 2004 – Lexington, Ky. – New York/New York City and Alaska lead the list of the National Tour Association tour operators’ top selling summer destinations in North America. According to NTA’s latest member survey, the top two are followed by a three-way tie with California, Niagara Falls, and Washington, D.C., rounding out the list of five.

"Pent-up demand is bringing international and domestic travelers back to these beautiful North American destinations," said NTA Chairman Mitch Sussman, CTP. "Many travelers were previously fearful to fly far distances or to visit the bigger cities, however, we are now seeing that fear rapidly fading."

Sussman, who is also co-owner and chairman of the board of Starr Tours in Trenton, N.J., agrees with the results of this summer’s top sellers. He suggests that travelers are beginning to see cities such as New York and Washington, D.C., as safe destinations for the first time since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Sussman proposes Alaska is a top seller this year because it is a great intermodal destination with beautiful sightseeing and opportunities for adventure and experiential travel. California, as always, remains popular because of the diverse opportunities this destination offers, and Niagara Falls is regaining popularity as consumers are setting aside fears of SARS and far-distance travel.

The National Tour Association is an organization of nearly 4,000 tourism professionals from 20 countries representing the packaged travel industry. NTA provides unsurpassed business opportunities, knowledge and information to businesses involved in tour operator packaged travel. NTA also serves as a consumer advocate through its code of ethics, stringent membership requirements and education. For more information, visit http://preseason.ntaonline.com/

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