Tuesday Newsletter
August 16, 2005
Tuesday Newsletter August 16, 2005
August 16, 2005: Volume 25; Issue 26
NTA Convention – Better Get Involved
You know the old cliché, "You only get out of something what you put into it." Well, the same rings true for NTA’s Annual Convention. One sure-fire way to meet more delegates and be seen is by volunteering to help us in Detroit, Nov. 4-8, 2005.
There are several ways to get involved, so consider which opportunities best suit your talents:
Click here for more detailed descriptions of the responsibilities related to each area of volunteering. You also can sign up to volunteer or register for Convention at NTA Online.
For more information on volunteering, contact Wendy Payne at 800-682-8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4444 or via e-mail.
Have You Made Your Housing Reservation?
Hotels with room blocks for the 2005 NTA Convention in Detroit are filling up quickly. The Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Courtyard by Marriott have availability throughout Convention. The Omni Detroit Hotel at River Place and Marriott at the Renaissance Center currently have limited availability. The Atheneum is no longer accepting reservations.
For more information on these properties, click here. Then, once you’ve checked them out and are ready to reserve your accommodations, go to the NTA Convention Web site or contact the Salt Lake Housing Bureau at 888-221-9425 (U.S. and Canada) or 801-534-4953.
Better Business. Better Be There.
Board Member Wendy Kelman Stepping Down
Wendy Kelman has informed NTA Chairman and CEO Ann Thomas, CTP, of her plans to resign from her seat as DMO Director on the NTA Board of Directors.
Thomas said, "While we certainly regret Wendy’s departure from the board, we are also thrilled for her in her new capacity as the executive director of Geppi’s Entertainment Museum in Baltimore. Congratulations, Wendy!"
Since Wendy was elected to a DMO seat on the board, and will be a working as a supplier, she needed to relinquish her seat. She is in the first year of a two-year term. In accordance with the bylaws, the board will determine if and by whom the seat will be filled for the remainder of this year.
Also in accordance with the bylaws, an election by the DMOs will be held in Detroit in November to fill the seat for the 2006 remainder of the term. More information on this will be coming from the board in the next few weeks.
"I want to again congratulate Wendy and to thank her for her many efforts and her strong leadership on the board," Thomas said. "Although her term ended much sooner than we would have liked, she made a great contribution to the board and the association overall."
NTA Participates in Passport Coalition Meeting
NTA representatives Jim Santini and Matt Grayson participated in the inaugural conference call meeting of the Passport Coalition. The coalition is comprised of other industry association representatives along with many Canadian travel professionals.
The coalition, formed by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, is designed to focus attention on the looming passport requirements as outlined in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The group’s goals are to postpone the implementation of the initiative until Jan. 1, 2008, and allow other documents to serve as valid travel documents for U.S./Canada/Mexico travel.
For more information on this topic, contact NTA Director of Industry and Government Relations Matt Grayson at 800-682-8886 ext. 4250 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4250.
Deadline for Bavaria Trip is Fast Approaching
The deadline to get signed up for NTA’s Product Development Trip to Germany’s Bavarian Region is Thursday, Sept. 1. The trip takes place from Oct. 6-12 and includes stops at some of the country’s finest destinations including Regensburg, Kulmbach, Coburg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Füssen, Neuschwanstein and Lake Starnberg. While visiting those places, tour operators will get to see area hotels, restaurants and attractions, as well as get to meet with local suppliers.
The cost of the trip is $550 (U.S.) – including airfare from any US Airways city, lodging, attraction tickets and most meals – and you can sign up by clicking here. It is open to full-time employees of NTA tour operators and is limited to one per company (sorry, no spouses). All questions should be directed to Eric Berger at Bavaria Tourism at 212-505-1893 or via e-mail at eric@peekmarketing.com or to Woody Peek at 615-778-9690 or via e-mail at woody@peekmarketing.com.
Web Seminars Coming up for First-Time Convention Delegates
How can you better prepare yourself for NTA’s Convention in Detroit? Whether you are a first-time Convention attendee or just want a Convention refresher, you’ll want to join us for the Web seminar, "The Basics of NTA’s Convention: How to Maximize Your Detroit Experience," to be held Thursday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. ET and Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. ET.
A panel of Convention-savvy presenters will provide you with tips and valuable information to help make your Annual Convention experience a success. The seminar will include an explanation of the Tour & Travel Exchange®, a "how-to" lesson on conducting business and highlight the networking and educational activities available. In addition, there will be plenty of time to get answers to all of your Convention-related questions.
To sign up for the Sept. 1 Web seminar, click here. To register for the Sept. 13 session, click here. If you have any questions about the Web seminar or registration, please e-mail Jason Jones at jason.jones@ntastaff.com or call 800-682-8886, ext. 4279 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4279.
Board and Officer Candidate Profiles Available
The Board Election Page is now available at NTA Online. Click here to learn more about the candidates seeking 2006 NTA Board of Director and officer seats.
After you have a chance to learn more about the candidates, head over to the Election Forum on the member forums page where you can ask the candidates questions and see their responses.
NTA would like to thank the individuals listed below who helped the association grow in 2005 by recommending a company that recently became a new 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 get involved in NTA’s recruitment efforts, contact Chris Horsley 800-682-8886, ext. 4354 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4354 or via e-mail.
2005 Member Referral Honor Roll
Jennifer Asnip, Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jackie Bailey, Executive Inn – Kamloops
Barbara Bowman, Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau
Tammy Bruce, Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jay Coury, Premier World Tours
Anne Davis, Cruises and Tours Worldwide
Claire Gale, Jekyll Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jeanette Guire, The Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf
Kimberly Hickie, Yankee Candle Company Inc.
Salim Jiwa, Comfort Suites Hotel
Randy Julian, Julian Tours
Jay Kirkpatrick, Sweet Magnolia Tours
Theresa Kyzer, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
Charles Lebeuf, New Orleans Steamboat Company/Steamboat Natchez
Eric Liedholm, New Century Tours Inc.
Bruce Lloyd, New York City Opera
Paul McDonagh, VisitBritain
Ruth Mensch, Marriott International
Claudio Mollo, Sireon Tours
Lee Montecino, The New Orleans School of Cooking
Ted Nelson, Hospitality Tours
Yola Nosworthy, Adam’s Mark Hotels & Resorts Bob Plank, Viking Cruises
Carey Randall, Sears Tower Skydeck
Rosanna Scicchitano, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Nanci Sikes, Tuolumne County Visitors
Fred Standeven, A.C.T. Tours/Frederick Travel Inc.
Pat Strange, Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau
Judith Thomas, Unlimited Tours Travel Inc.
Pam Westwood, Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau
Patrick Murphy Internship Recipient Named
Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Executive Director, Bruce Beckham, CTP, recently announced the awarding of the Mayflower Tours Patrick Murphy Internship to Angela (Yuan) Fang. Fang will work in the Washington, D.C., office of former Congressman and current NTA Legislative Counsel Jim Santini. The internship is named after the late Patrick Murphy, a former vice president of Mayflower Tours.
Fang is a graduate student at George Washington University with a 3.91 GPA and is working toward a master of arts in tourism administration with a concentration in sustainable destination management. She received a bachelor of arts degree in English and international studies from the Foreign Affairs College of China in July 2001 and has worked for Singapore Airlines for more than two years as a customer representative.
Limited Sponsorships Available
Sponsorship at NTA’s Annual Convention is a great way to create added exposure for your destination/company. Not only do you receive a multitude of advance and on-site promotion, but sponsors also are guaranteed acceptance in the Tour & Travel Exchange and will have prescheduled appointments. Plus, as a silver, gold or platinum sponsor ($5,000+ level), you receive a complimentary booth in the Convention Mall area in the middle of all the action.
Even if you aren’t sure exactly what you want to do or are looking to do something a little different, we can create a sponsorship for you. Click here to view available sponsorships, or contact Karla DiNardo via e-mail at karla.dinardo@ntastaff.com or by calling 800-682-8886, ext. 4232 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4232 and let NTA start promoting you to its tour operators.