Tuesday Newsletter
December 6, 2005
Tuesday Newsletter December 6, 2005
December 6, 2005: Volume 25; Issue 41
Convention Buzz … Our Survey Says
While individually NTA members are saying great things about the 2005 Convention, collectively the numbers also are backing up the buzz. Preliminary results from the survey reveal that, on a 10-point scale, tour operators are rating the Convention at 7.9 overall and suppliers and DMOs grade the event at 7.3.
Claire Goold of the Wales Tourist Board summed up her experience in Detroit, "The quality of the appointments was excellent. As a relatively small destination that is often overlooked in favor of some of its larger, nearby neighbors, NTA is a great fit for us. Overall, from both a business and personal perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2005 Convention. Hats off to all the organizers who did a wonderful job. I look forward to 2006 and Salt Lake City!"
Click here to go to the special page of NTA Online which includes more 2005 Convention buzz.
Better Business. Better be in Salt Lake City in 2006.
Informational ".travel" Web Seminar Coming Up
There has been a lot happening with the ".travel" initiative lately and an upcoming Web seminar can get you up to speed. The seminar will take place Friday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. ET, and it will be led by ".travel" Registry President Ron Andruff. The purpose of this one-hour presentation is to give you an update on the status of the ".travel" limited launch and allow you to ask your questions about this key industry initiative.
This seminar utilizes both an online component and a telephone conference call. The online link will allow you to see the slides and video Andruff will use, while the teleconference number will give you the audio connection.
There is no need to sign up in advance, all you have to do is go to this Web address at 2 p.m. on Dec. 16. To access the audio portion, North American members should call 800-861-4084 and members outside of North America should call +1-770-659-0469. The participant code to enter is 1034211, and it is the same for all members.
Transportation Discounts Offered for Product Development Trip
Two of NTA’s Transportation Providers – Amtrak and United Airlines – are partnering with the Rhode Island Tourism Division to offer discounted fares for participants in NTA’s first domestic Product Development Trip, "Rhode Island: Big Things Come in Small Packages." Tour operators can get discounted rate information by contacting Katrina White of Rhode Island Tourism at 401-222-2601 (ext. 150), or by e-mailing her at kwhite@riedc.com.
The trip will take place April 23-27, 2006. To view the full itinerary or to get registered, click here.
The Trend is Your Research Source
Looking for a good way to stay current with industry trends, changes in demographics and other consumer-based research? NTA’s got you covered with its monthly research newsletter, The Trend.
The November issue includes articles on the continued growth of the Hispanic population in the United States and how that affects the travel industry. There are articles on the adventure travel and gay and lesbian travel market segments, along with statistics revealing the top 10 states ranked by traveler spending. To see a sample of the latest issue of The Trend, click here.
The Trend is sent monthly via e-mail, and the cost is $10 a month or $120 a year. You’ll see the opportunity to subscribe and pay for one year of The Trend on dues invoices that will be hitting your desks soon. If you don’t want to wait, you can subscribe today by e-mailing Sandy Stansfield at mailto:sandy.stansfield@ntastaff.com or by calling her at 800-682-8886, ext. 4214 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4214.
Membership Renewal Notices Now Arriving
NTA’s 2006 membership renewal information is arriving at member offices now. Please note that dues are payable via credit card by faxing your invoice and credit card information to 859-226-4404 or 859-226-4414. Online dues payment will be available Thursday, Dec. 15, and information will be passed along via "This Just In" at NTA Online or in Tuesday when it’s ready.
Questions may be addressed to questions@ntastaff.com or you can call your NTA Member Services at 800-682-8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4444.
Stay Current With the Chairman’s Conversation Club
The Chairman’s Conversation Club begins its second year as NTA Chairman and CEO Judith Thomas, CTP, will conduct her first call with a randomly selected group of tour operators to discuss travel- and business-related topics later this week.
Eight calls took place last year, and your fellow members exchanged information on topics such as DMO issues with tracking visitation numbers and economic impact and the challenges late bookings create for tour operators and suppliers. You can read a transcript of all calls by clicking here.
The calls are conducted for each of NTA’s three membership categories and include Thomas, the board of directors’ representative in that category, with four or five randomly chosen members and an NTA staff member.
Tuesday Sponsorships Available
Looking for a unique way to reach NTA members? Sponsorships of NTA’s weekly e-newsletter, Tuesday are being sold for 2006 on a first-come, first-served basis. Sponsorship of the newsletter is $1,000 per month, or six months for $5,000.
The sponsor’s logo and a link to their Web site, along with 30 words of text about the sponsor, will be featured in two places – on the e-mail that goes directly to NTA members’ e-mail inboxes and on the newsletter home page at NTA Online. To see a sample of how your sponsorship would look in the e-mail, click here.
For more information on sponsoring Tuesday, contact Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@ntastaff.com or by calling 800-682-8886, ext. 4232 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4232.
A Tip of the Cap to Referring Members
NTA would like to thank the individuals listed below who helped the association grow in 2005 by recommending a company that recently became a member. Growth benefits the entire association by building a stronger voice in the industry and by providing you with more potential business partners.
Not only does the association benefit from your new member referrals, you can too. If you refer a new tour operator member, you’ll receive $100 off NTA Convention registration through the recruitment rewards program. To learn more about this program, click here. Or, if you would like more information about how you can get involved in NTA’s recruitment efforts, contact Chris Horsley by calling 800-682-8886, ext. 4354 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4354 or via e-mail.
Fred Standeven, A.C.T. Tours/Frederick Travel Inc.
Judy DiPietro, Americas Best Value Inn
Mike Frey, Arnold Mackinac Island Ferry Company
Sarah Pressler, Carousel Dinner Theatre
Anne Davis, CTP, Cruises and Tours Worldwide
Julianne Tissonnier, DurangoReservations.com
Doug Ellison, Ellison Travel & Tours Ltd.
Brenda Drake, Royal Palm Tours Inc.
Mauro Galli, Tourcrafters Inc.
Bruce Beckham, CTP, Tourism Cares for Tomorrow
Bob Plank, Viking Cruises
Ann Thomas, CTP, Western Discovery LLC
Michael Grossman, Wyndham International
Dave Herren Memorial Scholarship Fund
The staff of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow was saddened to hear of the passing of Dave Herren, a long-time member of the National Tourism Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Advisory Board. In honor of Dave’s friendship and significant contributions, Tourism Cares has set up a memorial scholarship in his name to benefit a student at the University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management.
Donations should be made payable to Tourism Cares for Tomorrow and can be sent to 585 Washington St., Canton, MA 02021. Be sure the memo space on your check says "Dave Herren Memorial Scholarship Fund."
To learn more about the Dave Herren Memorial Scholarship Fund, click here.
Plans to produce a handy new reference tool, the 2007-08 NTA Planner, are in the works and you can be part of it. The compact, 18-month spiral-bound weekly planner will be sent to all NTA tour operators and there are advertising packages available now on a first-come, first-served basis.
Your advertising package will include:
For more details on getting in on the ground floor of this exciting new product, click here. Four-color cover positions also are available.
To brand your company by placing your logo and contact information in front of tour operators through the 2007-08 NTA Planner, call 800-682-8886, ext. 4238 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4238.