Tuesday Newsletter
October 30, 2007
Tuesday Newsletter Oct. 30, 2007
Volume 27: Issue 44
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This issue of Tuesday is sponsored by Tourisme Montréal. North American life and European charm, a dynamic cultural scene and vibrant festivals where creativity never fails. Our goal is to help you in organizing events and tour packages. For a sweet escape, Montréal is an absolute must. It is an experience to live and share. |
| Interested in becoming a Tuesday sponsor? E-mail Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@ntastaff.com. | |
NTA EVENTS
Dine-around Includes Captain’s Table Option
Convention Luncheons Feature Broadway, Political Humor and Jazz
A Kansas City Top 10 List
Find Out More about U.S. Commercial Service at Convention
Get Ready to "Bid on the Best" through Convention Auctions
INDUSTRY NEWS
California Fires Update
Six NTA Members Among 2007 Odyssey Award Winners
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Bylaw Ballots Sent to Tour Operators Last Week
MEMBER BENEFITS
November Courier Preview
Tuesday Takes a Holiday
NTA EVENTS
Dine-around Includes Captain’s Table Option
Kansas City is known for its world-famous barbecue and legendary strip steaks. These and many other options will be available to delegates for the Convention Dine-around, which takes place Monday, Nov. 5.
Your 2007 host city has a strong base of Mexican, Italian and Japanese restaurants and eateries featuring other ethnic specialties. Many of these can be found in six of the city’s neighborhoods including Downtown Kansas City, Crossroads Arts District, The River Market, Crown Center, Westport and 39th Street and Country Club Plaza.
This year, Kansas City will be coordinating Captain’s Tables for Dine-around night. Delegates without plans can be grouped with others for dinner by signing up to join one of the Captain’s Tables.
More information on Dine-around reservations, the Captain’s Tables and limited shuttle service is available at the Kansas City Information Center on the Convention Mall floor.
Convention Luncheons Feature Broadway, Political Humor and Jazz
While the focus is on business at the all-member general session during the Saturday Business Meeting Luncheon, sponsored by CruiseClub Holidays, the noon meal functions on the other four days will provide a variety of entertainment for delegates.
Kansas City’s own Darryl Terrell will jazz up the Holiday Inn Luncheon on Friday, and Sunday’s Issues Luncheon, co-sponsored by Motor Coach Industries, the Little Rock CVB and Destination Arkansas, will include the political humor of The Capital Steps.
Monday will feature a Convention favorite, the Theatre Direct/Showtix and I Love NY Luncheon, which presents songs from 15 Broadway shows. The Original Pinstripe Brass Band brings some traditional New Orleans jazz to delegates during the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism Luncheon on Tuesday.
Along with all the good business you will get done at Convention, take some time to enjoy the Kansas City area. The city provides many signature places to go and things to do. The following top 10 list, provided by the Kansas City CVA, gives you an idea of some attractions to enjoy while in town for Convention or to include in your next itinerary:
- Eat Kansas City-style barbecue at one of the more than 100 barbecue restaurants.
- Listen to live jazz in the city that gave jazz its swing.
- Shop the 14-block Country Club Plaza, which was the nation’s first outdoor shopping district when it opened in 1923.
- Go to the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial, the first museum dedicated to that war.
- Visit one of the more than 200 fountains that help Kansas City earn its moniker of "City of Fountains."
- Head to the Crossroads Art District for First Friday, where more than 60 art galleries and shops stay open late the first Friday of each month.
- Tour the remains of an 1850s steamboat at the Arabia Steamboat Museum.
- Tailgate at Arrowhead Stadium for a Kansas City Chiefs game.
- Visit the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at the 18th & Vine complex.
- Attend the American Royal, which includes the world’s largest barbecue contest, one of the nation’s largest livestock exhibitions, professional rodeos and horse shows and competitions.
Find Out More about U.S. Commercial Service at Convention
Six representatives from U.S. Commercial Service will be at Annual Convention to provide their insights on ways NTA members can more effectively work in the international market. The group brings together resources from many departments of the U.S. Government to assist American businesses in planning international sales strategies.
You can hear some of their suggestions during the "Looking at Opportunities in International Markets" seminar Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. The session is geared toward companies wishing to learn about U.S. Commercial Service programs and resources available in the travel sector. Visitation trends and statistics will be discussed, and presenters will talk specifically about China, Germany and Latin America.
In addition to the seminar, you can stop by the Commercial Service booth (#105) to visit with staff members, including international experts Diana Brandon (based in Argentina), Kevin Chambers (China) and Elizabeth Powell (Germany) and U.S.-based specialists Sunny Kessel (Wisconsin), Tony Michalski (Las Vegas) and Cory Simek (Missouri). They can share insights to help you with your global strategy and provide names of additional contacts.
Get Ready to "Bid on the Best" through Convention Auctions
NTA delegates, get ready to bid high and bid often for a good cause at Convention. The Tourism Cares auctions at Convention will include some great items, fabulous trips and unique offerings. To see a sampling of items that will be up for bids in this year’s auctions, click here.
The Silent Auction will run throughout Convention week, and the bidding will close at 6 p.m., after the Monday’s Live Auction. The featured item at the Live Auction is a SLC 936 Sunliner Coach, graciously donated by Stallion Bus Industries.
Don’t miss out on all of the auction fun. Proceeds benefit the mission and programs of Tourism Cares, NTA’s official philanthropy.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Responses to the California fires are coming from many corners of the travel and tourism industry. NTA contacted both current and prospective members in southern California to offer support and will pass along updates it receives to the membership via www.NTAonline.com or on the member forums.
Last week, NTA Corporate Partner The Berkely Group issued a statement regarding the company’s Travel Protection Plan. The update included details on trip delay and trip cancellation benefits.
Saturday, the San Diego CVB issued a statement from Mayor Jerry Sanders, saying the city is ready to welcome visitors. Major attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, LEGOLAND California and SeaWorld San Diego are open for business. In addition to these attractions, San Diego area beaches, restaurants, shopping centers and many arts and culture offerings are welcoming visitors, and the region’s hotels are ready to accommodate travelers after providing lodging for evacuees.
On its Web site, LA Inc, The Convention and Visitors Bureau stated that, "all Los Angeles county fires have now been 100 percent contained and are no longer a threat to LA County’s major attractions. A number of local assistance centers were opening Friday, Oct. 26, in Malibu, Santa Clarita and Castaic to help victims of the fires. The centers will be a resource for those disaster relief services. More information is available at http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/."
Tourism Cares Executive Director Bruce Beckham, CTP, said his organization is monitoring the situation to see what needs may arise from local museums, nonprofits and other tourism entities.
For an opportunity to provide assistance in the near-term, the American Hotel & Lodging Association is urging the hospitality community to help rebuild the lives of fire victims by donating gently used furniture and funds to its non-profit partner the National Furniture Bank Association. The NFBA accepts and provides free pick-up service for used furniture. AH&LA members interested in donating to NFBA should contact Jeff Hay at jhay@help1up.org.
Six NTA Members Among 2007 Odyssey Award Winners
The Travel Industry Association, in partnership with National Geographic Traveler magazine, honored its 2007 Odyssey Award recipients during the TIA Marketing Outlook Forum in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week. The awards are given to travel organizations representing excellence in marketing and advertising programs, promotion and public and community service programs, and excellence in communications and building awareness of tourism’s positive impact on America.
Congratulations go out to the six NTA members that were recognized in the following categories:
- South Dakota Office of Tourism – Domestic Discover America Marketing: "Twenty Bucks for the Road"
- Virginia Tourism Corporation – International Inbound Discover America Marketing: "Virginia’s Royal Welcome"
- Tourisme Montréal – International Travel Advertising: "Brits Wanted!"
- Explore Minnesota Tourism – Domestic Travel Advertising: "My Favorite Minnesota"
- Yellowstone National Park Lodges operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts – Geotourism Award for Sustaining the Environment of a Place: "Yellowstone National Park Environmental Initiatives"
- Rhode Island Tourism – Geotourism Award for Sustaining and Indigenous Culture or Community (Honorable Mention): "Tour Rhode Island-There’s No Place Like Home"
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Bylaw Ballots Sent to Tour Operators Last Week
The ballots for the association bylaw amendment have been mailed and e-mailed to NTA’s tour operator members. By sending the information last week, there will be time for discussion at the upcoming Annual Convention, since the voting cutoff date is Nov. 30.
The bylaw amendment includes two main proposals in addition to touching up some wording to improve clarity and grammar. The first proposal would combine the board of director officer positions of secretary and treasurer. The second would officially provide flexibility with regards to the Annual Business Meeting held each year at Convention and allow for one all-member Business Meeting, while still maintaining individual category election and talk times.
Questions regarding the bylaw vote may be directed to NTA’s Director of Industry and Government Relations Matt Grayson.
MEMBER BENEFITS
The November issue of Courier includes a trio of informative business section pieces. The first takes a look at the revitalization of Rhode Island’s Blackstone Valley area, the second recaps the NTA Product Development Trip to Alaska and the third tracks the trend of women-only travel. The month’s feature stories focus on culinary tourism and shopping, and the destination pieces shine the spotlight on America’s Historic East, Atlantic Canada, Chicago, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Québec.
UPCOMING DEADLINES:
February Issue – Ad Space: Nov. 26; Editorial: Past
Casinos/Gaming; Culinary Tourism; Atlantic Coast (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia); Continental Europe; Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; Idaho; Montana; North Dakota; South Dakota; Wyoming.
March Issue – Ad Space: Jan. 3; Editorial: Nov. 5
2008 Tour Operator Spring Meet; Hotels and Resorts; Toronto and Niagara Region (New York and Canada); Branson; Arizona; Colorado; New Mexico; Utah.
April Issue – Ad Space: Jan. 28; Editorial: Dec. 3
Historic Homes; Wine Tours; New York City; Great Lakes Loop (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Ontario and Wisconsin); Arkansas; Mexico; Oklahoma; Texas.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Autry National Center – The Berkely Group (TPP) – Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn/Universal City – Boyds Bear Country – Brandywine Valley – Chase Paymentech – Circle Line Sightseeing Yachts Inc. – Coach America – Colorado Springs CVB Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak – Empire State Building Observatory – Foxwoods Resort Casino – John G. Shedd Aquarium – Maid of the Mist Corporation – Mesa CVB – MotorCity Casino – Norfolk CVB – Pennsylvania Tourism & Marketing Office – Rapid City CVB – Sears Tower Skydeck – Southwest Louisiana/Lake Charles CVB – Turning Stone Casino – Walt Disney Theatrical Productions – Yankee Candle Company Inc.
More information on the 2008 NTA Editorial Calendar is available.
There will be no issue of Tuesday next week due to the NTA Annual Convention. The next edition will be e-mailed Nov. 13.
| To ensure that you’re doing business with an NTA member, go to the NTA Web site and click on either "Tour Operator Search" or "DMO/Tour Supplier Search" at the top of the page. |