Tuesday Newsletter
September 19, 2006
Tuesday Newsletter Sept. 19, 2006
Volume 26: Issue 38
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This issue of Tuesday is sponsored by Tourism Montréal.
Millions of destinations. One city.
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| Interested in becoming a sponsor for Tuesday? Contact Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@NTA.travel. | |
NTA Convention: Deadline for Appointment Requests is Sept. 20 at Noon
The deadline to submit your appointment requests for the 2006 NTA Annual Convention in Salt Lake City is Wednesday, Sept. 20, at noon (ET). At that time the scheduling system will be taken off line and no changes or submissions can be made to your request list. Visit http://exchange.nta.travel/ to log on and remember that you will need your registration number to access the appointment request system.
Schedules for those delegates with prescheduled appointments will be e-mailed in early October. After schedules are posted, the scheduling system will be reopened to allow delegates to pick up additional appointments before Convention. To read more about this option of scheduling Direct Requests, click here then scroll to the bottom.
Watch for further updates and more information in NTA’s Tuesday newsletter.
NTA Convention: Salt Lake Web Site Adds Information
The Salt Lake CVB has developed a Web site dedicated to the 2006 NTA Convention. The site features comprehensive itineraries for pre- and post-Fam tours and Sunday afternoon’s local sightseeing tours. Each itinerary also features a virtual tour, so you can get a preview of what’s in store. If you haven’t already registered for a tour you’d like to take, you can register online. Pre-registration for sightseeing tours is strongly encouraged, as space is limited.
Tour operators: have you heard the CVB will be giving you an NTA ski jacket as a gift during Convention? Click here to check it out. Interested tour suppliers and DMOs can order a jacket through the Web site. Salt Lake also is offering an incentive to registered tour operators who bring groups back to Salt Lake. If you want to learn more, click here.
Finally, in keeping with the host city’s "On Location in Utah" theme, there is a page dedicated to movies and TV shows that were filmed in the state. Click here to see if one of your favorites made the list.
Salt Lake is looking forward to welcoming NTA in November. Haven’t registered? There’s still time. Click here to join us, Nov. 3-7, at the 2006 NTA Annual Convention.
Better Business. Better Be There.
The New York Times Features NTA and Members
Over the past several years, tour operators have been adapting their product to meet consumer demand for unique, hands-on travel experiences. The diversity of tour product has drawn the interest of national consumer media.
Earlier this summer, NTA was contacted by a reporter with The New York Times who was interested in learning more about what she called "theme travel." Because of your efforts to keep NTA in the know about your new products and services, we were able to pass along several great examples of NTA members offering creative and distinctive options.
The "Your Money" section of the Sunday, Sept. 10 edition of The New York Times featured NTA members Beyond Boundaries Travel, On Location Tours, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, EagleRider and Shebby Lee Tours. Click here to read the article (sign-in is required).
A special thanks goes out to these companies for answering our media request and keeping us abreast of your company news. Please send your news releases to NTA Public Relations Manager Sara Morton at sara.morton@NTA.travel so we can keep you in mind when we receive future calls from the media.
Next Chairman’s Conversation Club Call is Sept. 20
The Chairman’s Conversation Club conference call for tour operators takes place tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 to 4 p.m. (ET). There is still room for additional participants, but act now by e-mailing NTA Executive Assistant Celeste Moore at celeste.moore@NTA.travel.
The call, which is hosted by NTA Chairman and CEO Judith Thomas, CTP, allows members to share information on business related topics. Notes from previous Chairman’s Conversation Club calls are available if you click here.
NTA member Jon Peahl of Giant Faceless Corporation responded to the September Courier article "What is the New Normal?" (click here to view the story) with an e-mail to the editor. Peahl wrote, "I take exception to your article regarding the ‘New Normal’ five years after 9/11. Trends in domestic travel have nothing to do with terrorism, and much to do with America’s emerging place as a Third World nation when it comes to Time Poverty."
We’re delighted that Peahl took the time to write in and we’d like to hear from you, too. What do you think the New Normal is – and why? Letters may be included with Peahl’s in the November issue of Courier. Please send your thoughts to penny.mullinix@hostcommunications.com
Internet Marketing – What are You Doing?
Trent Blizzard of Blizzard Internet Marketing is part of this year’s outstanding group of seminar speakers at Annual Convention. He will present two morning educational sessions in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Nov. 5.
Blizzard’s company specializes in providing Internet marketing services to the hospitality industry. The firm is heavily involved in analysis of emerging travel promotion trends, such as blogging, managing travel review sites and wikies.
NTA would like to know if your company is currently using these or similar vehicles to promote your brand. If so, please contact NTA’s Public Relations Manager Sara Morton at sara.morton@NTA.travel or 800.682.8886, ext. 4418.
According to the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization, the travel and tourism industry is the largest export earner of any business sector in the world. In honor of the role the industry plays, WTO has designated Sept. 27 as World Tourism Day. The day is aimed at promoting awareness of the importance of travel and tourism around the globe.
Under the umbrella theme "Tourism Enriches," this year’s World Tourism Day provides a platform for countries and communities worldwide to acknowledge the power of travel on all levels: social, cultural, political and economic. This year’s theme speaks specifically to tourism’s contributions to individuals, families and communities – from enhanced national reputations to preservation of local heritage.
In the United States, the Travel Industry Association is leading the effort to promote the value of active programs that feature a region’s culture, history, lifestyle and attractions. Materials and tools to assist in localized promotions relating to World Tourism Day are available by clicking here.
Locations for 2007 NTA Board and Leadership Meetings Chosen
NTA has selected the dates and sites for its 2007 Leadership and Board of Directors meetings. Here is the list:
The association would like to thank all the destinations who submitted proposals to host one of the 2007 meetings.
Tourism Cares Heads to Bermuda for Clean-Up Event
Nearly 100 members of the tourism industry, from CEOs to front-line employees, will provide 400-plus hours of hard work on Sunday, Oct. 1, along the South Shore of Bermuda as part of Tourism Cares’ first international clean-up effort.
In an effort to preserve the beach dunes, volunteers will be clearing invasive trees along a 1.5-mile stretch of beach and replacing them with native tree species. The work will allow the dunes to regenerate and provide protection and beauty for the residents and visitors to Bermuda to enjoy now and in the future.
The mission of Tourism Cares volunteer programs is to bring industry members together to give back, while at the same time demonstrating the size and economic impact of travel and tourism.
You can continue to support programs like the Bermuda clean-up effort by helping Tourism Cares in the following ways at the NTA Convention:
To donate items or assist with the student program, e-mail Lisa Schmiemann or Natalie King or call them at 781.821.5990. Nevada Rocks for Tomorrow tickets can be purchased by calling NTA Member Services at 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4444.
NTA Can Deliver Your Message to Tour Operators at Convention
If you advertise in the Convention Daily newsletter, your message will be delivered every morning to tour operators’ hotel rooms before the day gets underway. It’s a great way to start the day, and allows your company to stand out among the 3,000 delegates. Only three spots remain in this popular Convention resource.
Another way to reach tour operators is through sponsorship. New sponsorships are being added weekly, due to the demand. Here are a couple recent opportunities:
Click here to view all sponsorships available, which will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
To find out more on these sponsorships or the Convention Daily advertising, call Karla DiNardo at 800.682.8886, ext. 4232 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4232.