Tuesday Newsletter
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004: Volume 24; Issue 17
Update on Alcatraz Ticketing … Your Input Needed
NTA is continuing to work with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to find a solution that would allow travel industry members access to tickets for Alcatraz beyond 2004. As reported in the Aug. 24 issue of Tuesday GGNRA has said it will stop selling tickets to the travel industry as of Jan. 1, 2005.
The series of discussions between NTA and GGNRA officials have provided a framework for the involvement of the association’s membership. At this point, NTA is asking members to come up with possible solutions and forward them to Matt Grayson of NTA’s government relations department at 800-682-8886, ext. 4250 (U.S. and Canada), or 859.226.4250, or via e-mail at matt.grayson@ntastaff.com.
There are some parameters to consider when formulating ideas. The main thing emerging from NTA’s most recent conversation with Lee Schenk, the business manager of GGNRA, was that GGNRA’s main concern is that any proposal must stand up to legal scrutiny. Schenk indicated the legal consideration for any ticket distribution system is that it must be "fair and equitable" to all types of visitors.
Another thing members should think about when coming up with solutions is that Alcatraz faces an on-going issue of ticket scalping, due to the limited number of tickets available and the heavy demand. Any suggestions forwarded to NTA should be sensitive to this factor.
After all ideas are received NTA hopes to meet face-to-face with GGNRA officials to discuss the situation and offer possible solutions. Stay tuned to the "This Just In" section of NTA Online for updates on what’s next.
This week you will receive ballots for candidates seeking seats on NTA’s Board of Directors. Check your mail and e-mail carefully for your ballot and complete election details.
Please note that all ballots for director seats must be submitted by Oct. 14. Ballots for the office of secretary can be cast by mail, e-mail or in person at the Tour Operator Annual Business Meeting on Nov. 12 during Convention.
If you missed the recent Web seminars, which included comments from each of the candidates and a question and answer segment, you can listen to them at NTA Online. Exact details on how to access the candidate Web sessions will be posted on the "This Just In" section of NTA Online by Sept. 20.
To learn more about each of the candidates, read their profiles by clicking here.
Appointment Scheduling Deadline is Oct. 1
Haven’t gotten around to scheduling your appointments for the Tour & Travel Exchange at Convention? No worries … yet … since you still have until Friday, Oct. 1, to go online and finalize your request list.
Pre-scheduling appointments is a vital link to assuring that you’ll get to meet with the companies you want in Toronto during the Tour & Travel Exchange. The appointments are your best tool to buying and selling, as the seven-minute sessions provide a forum for sharing information with other delegates and discussing business and partnering.
In order to have pre-scheduled appointments during the Exchange, delegates need to identify and submit a list of companies with whom they’d like to meet before the Oct. 1 deadline. To do this, go to NTA Online and click on the "Convention Appointment System Request" link under "What’s New" on the right-hand side. To access the section where you can research companies to meet with and where you can schedule your appointments, you’ll need to enter your first and last name, along with your Convention registration number.
If you have any questions on this process, please contact a member of the NTA Online Team at questions@ntastaff.com or by calling NTA Member Services 800-682-8886 (U.S. and Canada), or 859-226-4444.
NTA Enters into Research Partnership with SYTA
NTA has signed on as one of the Student & Youth Travel Association of North America’s industry partners and will assist in funding a student-focused research project in 2005.
There are seven partners, including NTA, involved with this Youth Tourism Consortium so far. All of the SYTA-led consortium’s members will work with the Travel Resource Institute at Michigan State University on up to three projects related to the United States student market between now and June 30, 2005. The projects are as follows:
This is the second research consortium SYTA has organized, as it also co-sponsored a project with the Youth Tourism Consortium of Canada, the Canadian Tourism Commission and Youth Hostelling International of Canada.
Cruise Business is Big Business
Two recently released studies underscore the strength of the cruise industry. This sector of the travel market posted more bookings year-to-date over 2003, and the economic impact of the cruise industry on the U.S. economy also is increasing.
Second quarter numbers released by the Cruise Lines International Association showed a 10.8 percent increase over the same period in 2003, with 2,604,544 passengers worldwide. The number of North American passengers for that timeframe was 2,255,975, which represents a 14.3 percent increase. The year-to-date numbers reflect a similar upswing. For the first six months of 2004, passenger totals were 10 percent higher than the first half of last year and, in North America, passenger numbers increased by 10.6 percent.
In 2003, the North American cruise industry had a $25.4 billion impact on the U.S. economy – based on direct and indirect spending – according to research conducted annually for the International Council of Cruise Lines. The 25.4 billion total represents an 11 percent increase over 2002.
In the United States, industry and passenger spending rose to $12.9 billion, which is an 8.1 percent increase over 2002. A total of 7.1 million cruise embarkations were handled by U.S. ports, marking a 9.4 percent increase over 2002.
The ICCL study also revealed that the top three U.S. ports by passenger embarkation remain Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades in Florida. But, in 2003, New York and Tampa, Fla., moved past the port of Los Angeles to take over the fourth and fifth spots.
There is still time to sign up for NTA’s 2004 Product Development Trip to Eastern Switzerland and the Lake Geneva Region. The deadline to register for this fun and informative winter getaway, which is hosted by Switzerland Tourism, is Oct. 15, 2004.
This year’s PDT will take NTA operators to many of Switzerland’s hot spots, including St. Gallen, Appenzellerland, Bern, Lausanne, Montreux and the Lake Geneva and Matterhorn Region.
To see the complete itinerary for the trip or to sign up, click here.
"How Tour Operators are Buying" Session Set for Convention
Do you understand what tour operators are looking for when they package their tours? Do you know how to make the best use of your seven-minute Exchange appointment that will really make an impression on the operator? Join us in Toronto on Friday afternoon of Convention week to discover the answers to these questions and more in the session "How Tour Operators are Buying."
Understanding the needs of tour operators is one of the keys for tour suppliers and DMOs when conducting business. It is crucial to know what operators are looking for in developing their travel products and how you can best position your product to meet the needs of the operator. Our panel of tour operators will help get you prepared for this year’s Tour & Travel Exchange, as well as the many other business opportunities that are available at Convention. Bring your questions and comments, and get ready for some valuable interaction with operators as we gear-up for a great week of business.
Come join us in Toronto for this and many other outstanding educational opportunities. For more information about the educational programming in Toronto, please click here or contact Jason Jones, NTA’s assistant director of education, at jason.jones@ntastaff.com.
NTA Members Get Discounts for Adventures in Travel Expo 2004
If you aren’t already registered for the upcoming Adventures in Travel Expo 2004, there is still time. The Expo, which brings together numerous guest speakers to give you a deeper look at the biggest, best and wildest offerings in adventure travel, will be held Oct. 8-10 at the San Mateo County Expo Center (in the San Francisco area).
NTA members who sign up can receive two discounts being offered. If you want to exhibit, you can register for $2,000, an $800 savings off the regular price. If you just want to attend the show, the cost is $25 for NTA members. This price includes full access to all seminars for three days, entrance into the trade and public expo, a luncheon and a cocktail reception. If you want to go to the expo portion only, that is free.
If registering as an exhibitor, you need to put NTA behind your company name on the application. If signing up to attend, make sure to enter Organizational Code DM to receive the NTA member discount.
For more information or to register for the Bay Area Expo, click here, or call Jason Geddes, sales director, at 203-878-2577, ext. 118.
The Bay Area show is the first of four that will be held in the next four months. The other three will take place in early 2005 in Chicago (Jan. 7-9), New York (Jan. 14-16) and Washington, D.C. (Jan. 28-30).
National Tourism Foundation Welcomes 2004 Interns
The National Tourism Foundation’s 2004 interns – Eduardo Becerra Pimentel and Edwige Sery – are already hard at work with the Foundation management team in its Lexington, Ky., offices. Each receives a $3,000 personal stipend and an all-expense paid trip to the National Tour Association’s Annual Convention in Toronto this November.
Becerra is in his fourth year of tourism studies at the Andina University of Cusco in Peru. He has gained industry experience as an adventure tourism coordinator and a tour leader with several companies in Peru and served as a food and beverage management intern at the Wade Hampton Golf Club in North Carolina.
Sery is majoring in business administration with a concentration in hospitality management and management information systems at Central State University in Ohio. She is president of the International Student Association and an active member of the Hospitality Club. Sery is a native of Ivory Coast in West Africa.
Becerra and Sery started their internships last month and will be at the national office through December. They will get to go to Convention where, in addition to helping put on the Foundation’s fund-raising projects, they can network with more than 3,000 industry professionals, participate in roundtable discussions with NTA members and get a firsthand look at business negotiations in progress during the Tour & Travel Exchange.
For more information on the Foundation, its scholarship and grant opportunities and internship program, visit http://www.ntfonline.org/ or call 800-682-8886, ext. 4291 (U.S. and Canada), or 859-226-4291.
Nominations Sought for National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Distinctive Dozen
Know of a community that ranks among the nation’s best in terms of historic, natural, aesthetic, recreational and cultural offerings? Then nominate it for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual Dozen Distinctive Destinations list.
The NHTP started selecting its Distinctive Dozen in 2000 and some of the characteristics of previous winners include a dynamic and walkable downtown, a commitment to historic preservation, cultural diversity, interesting architecture and an economic base of locally owned businesses.
Nominations are due Oct. 29 and can be submitted online at www.nationaltrust.org/ddd or via e-mail. You can call 202-588-6141 for further information.
Promote Your Company Through the 2004 Convention Seminar Collection CD
One way your company can receive ongoing publicity tied to NTA’s 2004 Convention is through an interactive CD, which will be available after Convention. It will contain audio tracks and PowerPoint presentations from each seminar and includes a complete delegate registry. On the Convention Seminar Collection CD, there will be a Flash intro with your ad, a link to your Web site and your logo will be displayed. Additionally, you will be mentioned on the back panel of the CD holder.
Buying a CD sponsorship package makes you a bronze level sponsor. Benefits for that level include guaranteed acceptance in the Tour & Travel Exchange (one per sponsorship) and sponsorship listings in the Profile Form Notebook, the Convention Program, Convention Daily Newsletter and the January issue of Courier. You also get a banner at Convention, a listing on NTA Online, a sponsorship ribbon with your badge, an appreciation certificate and you can ask to receive a mailing list including information on all of the delegates.
For more information, contact Cheryl Ealy at 800-682-8886, ext. 4238 (U.S. and Canada), or 859-226-4238, or via e-mail.
Director of Membership Development, National Tour Association
The National Tour Association has a position available in its office for a Director of Membership Development. The position will focus primarily on recruitment and retention of members. For more information, contact NTA’s Vice President of Marketing Lisa Nelson at 800-682-8886, ext. 4215 (U.S. and Canada), or 859-226-4215,
or via e-mail.
Product Manager, Tauck World Discovery
TAUCK WORLD DISCOVERY has an excellent opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Norwalk, Conn., as a product manager. Person will be responsible for product strategy, development, enhancement and maintenance, as well as inventory management and sales analysis. The qualified candidate needs a proven track record of travel product management, a history of success in purchasing negotiations and executive level communication skills. Please mail/fax/e-mail your resume and a cover letter along with salary requirements to Human Resources Department, 10 Norden Place, Norwalk, CT 06855. Fax 203-899-6612. E-mail hrtauck@tauck.com. Equal opportunity employer m/f/h/v. Please, no agency calls.
If you have a job listing to post in the Job Center section of Tuesday, please e-mail NTA Communications Specialist Pat Henderson. The cost is $1 per word for NTA members and $1.50 per word for nonmembers and NTA will send an invoice upon publication of the posting.