Tuesday Newsletter
March 7, 2006
Tuesday Newsletter, March 7, 2006
Volume 26: Issue 10
| Interested in becoming a sponsor for Tuesday? Contact Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@NTA.travel. |
NTA Makes the Move to ".travel"
It’s official. Your online resource for association news and member information has a new name, http://www.nta.travel/, now that NTA has activated its ".travel" domain name. In addition to using the new Web site name, NTA staff members also have new ".travel" e-mail addresses – firstname.lastname@NTA.travel.
"NTA is proud to join this global movement that brings travel buyers and sellers together in a community totally dedicated to travel," said NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP. "According to industry data, 88 percent of consumers use the Internet to research and purchase their trips today and nearly three-quarters visit three or more Web sites when making their plans. The ‘.travel’ domain will help the travel industry collectively strengthen its presence on the Internet and reinforce the partnership between tour operators, destinations, suppliers and the consumer."
As one of the first associations to back the ".travel" initiative, NTA has been confirming member companies for the new addresses since July 2005 and is still THE source to help you get authenticated for a ".travel" domain name.
"Organizations like NTA are largely responsible for the success of the ‘.travel’ initiative," Ron Andruff, president and CEO of Tralliance, the ".travel" Registry, said. "In the first 16 weeks alone, more than 16,000 domain names were reserved. We attribute this success to the ongoing support and advocacy from groups like NTA, as well as from its members who also are very supportive."
Last week, Tralliance Corp. unveiled its new Web site, http://www.travel.travel/ that enables organizations, businesses and individuals in the travel and tourism industry to learn about the ".travel" initiative, apply for domain name eligibility through an authenticator and register their ".travel" domain names.
Benefit Basics: Preparing for the Tour & Travel Exchange®
The computerized matching of prescheduled business appointments in the Tour & Travel Exchange at NTA’s Annual Convention continues to advance. Here are some tips for making the most of your appointment requests for the 2006 NTA Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Nov. 3-7.
Registration for this year’s Annual Convention will open May 16 at noon ET. Click here for a list of important dates related to the 2006 Convention.
Conversation Club Continues DMO Tracking Dialogue
DMO tracking was one of the main topics of discussion on the most recent Chairman’s Conversation Club conference call, held Feb. 28. The dialogue followed the recent postings on the NTA member forums on the subject, which you can read by going to the "General Discussion" folder and then clicking on "Tracking Crisis." (You will need your individual ID and password to log on.)
Additionally, the participants on the DMO call talked about booking trends and unique experiences their respective areas have to offer guests. This was the third in a series of calls, hosted by NTA Chairman and CEO Judith Thomas, CTP, that are done within a specific membership category and include Thomas, four to five representatives from that category, the Board of Directors’ representative in that category and an NTA staff member.
Now that the first round of category calls is complete, the March call will include the second session for tour operators. To read comments from all three of Thomas’ calls, click here. To participate in one of the upcoming calls, please e-mail Celeste Moore at mailto:celeste.moore@NTA.traveltop of page
NTA to Facilitate TravelCom Panel
NTA will facilitate a panel at the upcoming TravelCom technology conference, sponsored by the Travel Industry Association of America. The event, which takes place April 17-19 in New York City, brings together a variety of experts in the area of e-Commerce and online travel marketing.
"Packaged Travel – Technology Issues and Answers" is the topic of the NTA forum, and panelists will explore the challenges and opportunities that online travel technologies present to the packaged travel segment of the industry. Last year, 59 percent of travelers who purchased a group travel package used the Internet to obtain travel information and prices. Though online agencies may have the edge for standard packages, offline agencies are often better suited to research and manage the needs of complex vacation packages.
During the session, the NTA panel – consisting of Nish Patel of Mayflower Tours, Sue Arko of Free Spirit Vacations, Michael Stacy of Groople and a representative from Cendant and moderated by NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP – will explore questions such as:
For more information on TravelCom or to register, go to www.tia.org/travelcom.
Members See Benefit of Attending Spring Meet
Even though the 2006 Tour Operator Spring Meet starts in a couple of weeks, there is still time for you to sign up to join us in Louisville, Ky., March 22-25.
This year’s Spring Meet features top-notch educational seminars, the operator partnering session (sponsored by the Alaska Travel Industry Association), other roundtable discussions and many informal networking options during evening events at the Kentucky Derby Museum, Churchill Downs and The Muhammad Ali Center. In addition to those things, here is what your fellow NTA members say are other benefits of attending this event:
– Cathy Greteman, president of Star Destinations Inc. in Carroll, Iowa
– Theresa Main-Kyzer, tour and travel sales manager of the Little Rock (Ark.) CVB and sponsor of the 2006 General Session: "Examining the Benefits of Multicultural Marketing"
Spring Meet – it’s all about you!
Students Give Back Through Tourism Cares Projects
One of the main focuses of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow is its programming and scholarships for students. Hospitality and tourism students, while they are still in school, have many opportunities to commit to their aspired profession in many ways. And, these future industry leaders are quickly learning that giving back is a vital part of being in the travel business.
Some of the students who attended NTA’s Annual Convention in Detroit donated the gratuities they earned as coat-checkers to the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund. Others, including 40 students from Central Michigan University are going to spend their 2006 Spring Break at the Tourism-Caring for America Gulf Coast clean-up effort in Mississippi, March 16-19.
Dr. Patricia Janes, assistant professor at Central Michigan and a Tourism Cares for Tomorrow board member, is leading the charge with the latter effort, by helping facilitate a way for her students to work alongside tourism professionals and make a difference through this year’s Tourism-Caring for America project.
Dining Delights Part of Product Development Trip
As with any visit to a new area, it’s important to know the language. And Rhode Island is no exception. Considering guests will hear an accent that’s somewhere between "de Bronx and Baahstan," communication can be a challenge at times. We offer the following guide to prepare you for your visit to Rhode Island on the NTA Product Development Trip. (All translations authored by Mark Patinkin, excerpted from "The Rhode Island Dictionary" copyright 2002)
Lesson #3 – Dining
Question: J’eet?
Answer: Naw, j’oo?
No, it’s not a new slang phrase, it’s how Rhode Islanders ask if you are hungry!
Translation – Q: Did you eat? A: No, did you?
Eating, dining, noshing and the occasional all-day graze are a favorite pastime in an area known for an exceptional range of options. You can enjoy everything from pizza and pasta on Providence’s Federal Hill, to fresh-from-the-ocean seafood in Galilee, to other area specialties including "chowda," Rhody Fresh milk, stuffies and fresh fruits and vegetables on the NTA trip from April 23-27. The cost is $150, which includes lodging, sightseeing and most meals.
In compliance with NTA guidelines, only one full-time employee per company may attend and guests/spouses are not permitted. For more information on the trip, click here, or contact Katrina White by calling 401.222.2601, ext. 150, or e-mailing her at kwhite@riedc.com.
NTA Membership Directory Advertising Deadline is March 10
The deadline to reserve your advertising space in the 2006-07 NTA Membership Directory has been extended to this Friday, March 10. The directory will be delivered to our entire membership and will have valuable contact information for your industry partners.
Advertising space is available from 1/6 of a page to a full page and this year’s directory will include easy-to-navigate, color-coded sections for the second-straight year. In addition to your company’s ad, choose to upgrade your membership listing. An enhanced listing will highlight and bold your contact information and includes space for your company’s four-color logo.
There will be no extensions beyond March 10, so call your account executive today for more details at 800.682.8886, ext. 4238 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4238. Advertising materials are due for all directory ads on March 15.