Tuesday Newsletter
February 27, 2007
Tuesday Newsletter February 27, 2007
Volume 27: Issue 9
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The Berkely Group provides a competitive Travel Protection Plan to NTA members. The plan includes an administration-free product that operators can sell to their clients and a group product that offers flexibility in pricing and compensation. To learn more click here or contact Geni Priolo at gpriolo@berkely.com. |
| Interested in becoming a sponsor for Tuesday? Contact Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@NTA.travel. | |
| Tour operators and receptive tour operators can get free airfare to the 2007 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet. Click here to learn more. |
WHTI Revisions Would Ease Passport Restrictions for Student Travelers
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced its intent to propose, as part of the forthcoming Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, significant flexibility regarding travel documents required for U.S. and Canadian youth as part of WHTI requirements for U.S. land and sea border entry in 2008.
As early as Jan. 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda by land or sea will be required to present a valid passport or other WHTI compliant documents, as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
The new proposal, which will be subject to public comment as part of the rulemaking process on the WHTI, would allow U.S. and Canadian citizens, ages 15 and younger, to cross the border at land and sea ports by presenting a certified copy of their birth certificate instead of a passport or other WHTI compliant identity card. U.S. and Canadian citizens who are 16-18 years old would also be able to cross the border, under adult supervision, with just a certified copy of their birth certificate if they are traveling with school groups, religious groups, social or cultural organizations or youth athletics teams.
"This is a key step that would make the passport regulations friendlier to the tourism industry, especially for those who work with student groups," said NTA Chairman and CEO Randy Julian. "NTA has consistently been working with government officials and legislators on this, and this proposal helps address some of our concerns."
To read the full text of the DHS release, which also includes information on the proposed PASS card, click here.
DHS Program Addresses Watch List Issues
The Department of Homeland Security has announced a new program that will allow travelers to resolve possible watch list misidentification issues with any of the department’s agencies. The DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program was created to give legitimate travelers an easy, secure and single location for inquiry for all travel screening-related issues.
DHS TRIP allows individuals to address situations where they believe that they have been incorrectly delayed, denied boarding, identified for additional screening or have experienced difficulties when seeking entry into the country. If tour operators have the necessary personal data on their clients, they can complete this process for their travelers.
Travelers can go to www.dhs.gov/trip to outline their concerns. The information will then be shared with the applicable agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of State and airport and airline operators when appropriate.
For more information on DHS TRIP and the steps being taken to reduce watch list misidentifications, click here. top of page
NTA Spring Meet Event Offers Kelowna A La Carte
Some might say that to really get to know a place, it is important to understand its roots. Delegates attending "Cultural District Night … the Kelowna Story" – the Friday night event at the 2007 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet – will have a chance to do just that, as the evening includes information on the unique history of British Columbia’s Okanagan region, including the original Salish settlement and the subsequent settlement of Oblate Christian missionaries.
A progressive dinner reception in Kelowna’s Cultural District will include stops at three downtown attractions – the Historic Laurel Packinghouse, Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Kelowna Art Gallery – where delegates can sample fare from 12 group-friendly local eateries and beverages from eight local wineries, a local brewing company and a distillery. The evening will give delegates a taste of the Okanagan region and an introduction to the area’s history, as tour guides share the story of Kelowna throughout the evening.
Register today to attend the 2007 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet in Kelowna, British Columbia, April 26-28. If you sign up before the March 9 early-bird deadline, you can save US$50 on your registration. Contact your Member Services team at 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4444 for more information.
Additionally, tour operators and receptive tour operators can fly free to Spring Meet through NTA’s agreement with its transportation provider United Airlines. To learn more, click here.
NTA is urging U.S.-based members to support the Discover America Partnership by submitting a letter to the editor of their local newspapers. Reach out to your community and tell them why you are passionate about your industry and how they can help harness the power of travel.
NTA has prepared brief letters that tour operators and tour suppliers and DMOs can localize with your company information. We have found that it is best to contact your local newspaper editors via e-mail, which you often can find on the newspaper’s Web site. You may suggest that the letter can be framed and used as an information piece in letters to the editor or in the opinion section.
NTA Chairman and CEO Randy Julian submitted a letter on behalf of NTA to major daily news outlets, including USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and The Washington Post. You can do your part to spread this important message by getting it out in your own community.
If you have any questions, please contact NTA Public Relations Manager Sara Morton at 800.682.8886, ext. 4418 or by e-mailing her at sara.morton@NTA.travel.
Daylight Saving Time Changes March 11 in America, Canada
For many North Americans, daylight saving time typically begins in April. But, due to legislation passed in both the United States and Canada, the date to set clocks ahead is March 11 this year. The change also pushes back the clock-changing date in the fall.
For Americans and Canadians, daylight saving time will last from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November (March 11 to Nov. 4, 2007). One thing of note, Mexico will maintain the original daylight saving time schedule of starting the first Sunday in April and ending the last Sunday in October (April 1 to Oct. 28).
From a travel and tourism standpoint, this has the possibility to cause confusion regarding many things, such as flight times. For North Americans, the time periods from March 11 to April 1 and Oct. 28 to Nov. 4, are ones to be mindful of, because Mexico won’t be in step with the United States and Canada.
Additionally, the November daylight saving date falls during the 2007 NTA Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Nov. 2-6.
Sign up Today to "Go West" With Tourism Cares this May
It seems the volunteers from previous Tourism Cares for America cleanup projects who said "Go West" meant it, as registrations are rolling in for the 2007 event. Early sign up numbers for the project, which will take place in historic Virginia City, Nevada, May 17-19, are ahead of schedule, so you will want to register soon to secure your spot. East Coasters also will want to book their airline tickets soon.
There is no better place for Tourism Cares’ first western project than this authentic old-west town. In the late 1800s, Virginia City was "the richest place on earth" where the townspeople feasted on oysters and champagne, wore the latest Parisian fashions and attended opera houses where the likes of John Barrymore, Harry Houdini and Lillie Langtry enthralled audiences. Today the restoration and upkeep of the city’s relics from this once booming, boisterous town are the sole responsibility of fewer than 1,100 citizens and they need your help.
NTA is an annual Association Sponsor of the Tourism Cares for America events and its members and staff have been strong supporters through their participation. To learn more about the Virginia City cleanup event and to sign up click here or call Tourism Cares at 781.821.5990 or e-mail tcfa@tourismcares.org.
See you out West!
Only Two Days Remain to Get Your Company in Front of Every NTA Tour Operator
Time is running out, as only two days remain to reserve your advertising space in the 2007-08 NTA Membership Directory. According to NTA tour operators, 91% use this popular annual resource, and 70% use the Directory for tour planning purposes. What better way to put your company in front of so many tourism professionals? The space deadline for advertising in the Membership Directory is March 1 with materials due March 15.
"The NTA directory is like a bible! Comprehensive, extensive and inexpensive. I use it every day and advertise in it every year." – Dawn Dowling, Group Tour Coordinator, Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, NTA member since 1987
Call 800.682.8886, ext. 4232 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4232 or e-mail advertising@NTA.travel for more information. Click here to see all the advertising opportunities the Membership Directory can offer to your company.
The March issue of Courier shines the spotlight on the 2007 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet, April 26-28. The Spring Meet feature includes details about the event and the host city, Kelowna, British Columbia. In the business section, Cheryl Breeden reflects on her experience of attending the NTA Leadership Team meetings for the first time, Joan Niemeier talks about NTA’s long awaited Person-to-Person Tracking project and there is an article on NTA’s partnership with Temple University to revamp the Certified Tour Professional program. This month’s trip planners provide details on the Mississippi River Valley and Toronto and the Niagara region, while the March travel guides profile Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
UPCOMING DEADLINES:
June Issue – Ad Space: Mar. 30; Editorial: Past
Native American, First Nations & Western Heritage; Student and Youth Travel; Canadian Maritimes & Quebec (New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island & Quebec); Gulf Coast (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi & Texas); Maryland/District of Columbia; Pennsylvania; Virginia.
July Issue – Ad Space: April 30; Editorial: March 1
National Parks; Zoos & Aquariums; Coastal California & Baja; Classic New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island & Vermont); Kentucky; Ohio; Tennessee; West Virginia.
August Issue – Ad Space: May 28; Editorial: April 1
Theaters; Fall Foliage; Orlando; Pacific Northwest (British Columbia, Northern California, Oregon & Washington); Illinois; Indiana; Michigan; Minnesota; Ontario; Wisconsin.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Algoma Central Railway Inc. – Anderson Vacations – Autry National Center – Greater Birmingham CVB – Boyds Bear Country – Coach America – Colorado Springs CVB – FamilySearch Center/Library and Mormon Historic Sites – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Gatorland – GE Consumer Finance (Travel) – Grand Canyon IMAX Theatre – Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau –Indianapolis Museum of Art – International Floral Garden & Exposition – Laredo CVB – Maid of the Mist – Menopause The Musical – Niagara Parks, Restaurants & Attractions – Norfolk CVB – Ocean City CVB – Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism – Rapid City CVB – Riverbarge Excursion Lines – Sacramento CVB – Salt Lake City CVB – Turning Stone Casino
Please click here to view the 2007 Editorial Calendar.