Tuesday Newsletter
April 18, 2006
Tuesday Newsletter April 18, 2006
Volume 26: Issue 16
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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. | |
On the Convention Trail with Barb Bowman
Today marks the debut of On the Convention Trail, a series of articles that will appear in Tuesday, written by 2006 Convention Chair Barb Bowman of the Grand Junction (Colo.) Visitor and Convention Bureau. The stories are aimed at getting you ready for Annual Convention, which will take place Nov. 3-7 "on location" in Salt Lake City.
Driving, flying or taking AMTRAK into Salt Lake City from Colorado still takes my breath away. It is a beautiful city nestled at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in the heart of the Rockies. Trust me, it’s a gorgeous setting.
Every morning when you walk or ride the shuttle from your hotel to the Salt Palace during Annual Convention, these mountains will embrace and inspire you with their beauty and majesty. This natural landscape will be the perfect setting to energize you and take your Convention experience to a new "altitude," literally.
Plus, it’s so exciting to reflect on the fact that these same mountains hosted the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. What’s even better is that, as a Convention delegate, you will get to experience some of the Olympic venues and spirit.
So get ready for an "altitude" change when you come to Salt Lake in November. You will be inspired!
Better Business. Better Be There.
First Quarter Stats Strong for Caribbean Visitation
Despite concerns about what impact the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will have on travel to the Caribbean in the future, arrivals were up this winter, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. During the region’s peak season, an estimated 23.6 million visitors headed to the Caribbean, an increase of 1.1 million visitors over the first quarter of 2005.
Here are some country-specific stats:
Additionally, many Caribbean countries, Aruba in particular, are continuing to see new, high-end resort properties being built, and many other tourism-related projects are in the works.
Global Tourism & Travel Summit Continues Dialogue on Key Issues
NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP, attended the Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Washington, D.C., last week. The event, which drew hundreds of travel ministers and industry leaders, highlighted key industry issues that NTA and its members have been addressing in recent years. Included among the participants were U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.
"The summit was a unique opportunity for tourism leaders from around the world to interact and share information," Phillips said. "NTA members will be pleased to know that the association has long-standing involvement in all major issues and ideas brought forward during the summit. That only reinforces our commitment to matters like cross-border issues, avian flu preparedness and government action in support of tourism."
"I also would note that, with four U.S. Cabinet secretaries in attendance, maybe – just maybe – we have the prospect of the U.S. government finally realizing how vital tourism is to America, and to our partners around the world. Hope springs eternal and the summit offered a new ray of hope."
For more in-depth analysis of the Global Travel & Tourism Summit, click here.
Benefit Basics: Turn to NTA for Industry Research
Is it difficult to find the time and resources you need to stay current on industry trends and business-related information? NTA dedicates resources to these tasks to make the information you need available with the click of your computer mouse.
Additionally, NTA’s newest research resource, The Trend, is a subscription-based monthly e-newsletter that uses exclusive consumer data from the National Leisure Travel Monitor to deliver relevant updates to NTA members. To learn more, e-mail NTA Industry Research Analyst Sandy Stansfield at sandy.stansfield@NTA.travel.
Don’t Miss the Bus … to the Hall of Fame Gala, That is
Going to Pow Wow? Don’t miss the opportunity to extend your stay in Florida and attend the 2006 Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Hall of Fame Dinner on May 11.
Complimentary transportation has been generously donated by The BusBank and Mears Transportation to take Pow Wow delegates from Orlando to the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Fla., on Thursday, May 11. The coach will leave from the convention center in Orlando at noon on the 11th and depart the following morning from the Westin Diplomat at 8 a.m. for the Orlando Convention Center and the Orlando Airport. A party atmosphere with refreshments, well known to NTA members and Pow Wow delegates, is guaranteed.
This year, Tourism Cares will be honoring two most deserving recipients – Bob Dickinson, president of Carnival Cruise Lines and the late Dave Herren of The Mark Travel Corporation and United Airlines.
For additional information, tickets to the dinner and discounted rooms at the Westin Diplomat, click here.
".travel" Expands to Include Two More Industry Entities
Two new sectors have been added to the list of travel industry entities eligible to hold ".travel" domain names. This announcement came from the Travel Partnership Corporation at last week’s Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Washington, D.C.
Travel insurance businesses and travel training institutions that are solely dedicated to serving the travel industry are now being considered, pending review of public comments, to join the global travel community and register their rightful names within the ".travel" Internet space.
To read more on this topic, click here, or to learn how NTA can help you be authenticated for a ".travel" domain name, click here. Authentication is free for NTA members, but ".travel" domain names are given based on the order in which they are requested, so you should act as quickly as possible.
Longtime industry veteran Kenn Lantry passed away April 13 due to congestive heart failure. The 46-year-old was in his fifth year with New Horizons Tour & Travel Inc., at the time.
Before joining New Horizons, Lantry had worked with the Marriott Corporation. He had extensive background with the cruise business, both as a performer (his job right out of college) and as an assistant cruise director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Holland America Line.
Memorial donations can be made in Lantry’s name to the Orlando Heart Center-PA, 60 West Gore Street, Orlando FL, 32806, or to the SPCA of Central Florida, 2727 Conroy Road, Orlando, FL 32839.
Profile Form Notebook Reaches Tour Operators
With registration opening May 16 for the 2006 NTA Annual Convention, it’s time to start thinking about maximizing your company’s exposure at this premier event. One of the best ways to make sure your presence is felt at Convention is by advertising in the Profile Form Notebook.
Tour operators use the Profile Form Notebook to research their appointments, keep track of who’s in attendance and organize their notes after successful business meetings. By reserving space in the notebook, your message will be waiting for every tour operator as they reach their table on the first day of Convention.
Premium spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis for all state/province tabs for your company’s full-page advertisement, and there is unlimited space behind each tab for your company’s double-sided profile sheet. By pre-inserting your profile sheet in this valuable tool, you can eliminate the need to lug extra profile sheets with you to Convention.
Contact Darby Schulman today by calling 800.682.8886, ext. 4238 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4238 or e-mailing her at darby.schulman@hostcommunications.com to find out more.