Tuesday Newsletter
January 10, 2006
Tuesday Newsletter January 10, 2006
January 10, 2006 – Volume 26; Issue 2
 |
VisitBritain, the official tourist board for Britain, is dedicated to supporting you in developing new Britain itineraries and offering dynamic marketing campaigns to help promote your product. Visit our new tour operator Web site at http://www.visitbritain.com/vbtrade. |
NTA and United Airlines have extended their partnership until Dec. 31, 2006. Specific details of the agreement aren’t available at NTA Online yet, but will be soon at this link.
The program again will have a special NTA member deposit rate that is unique in the industry and provide guaranteed zone pricing and contract net fare ticketing. NTA and United also have discussed additional benefits to the program that may come online later in the year, which would make the program even more useful for tour operators.
Information on any modifications will be reported in a future edition of Tuesday.
Berkley Information Regarding Independence Air
Independence Air filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 7, 2005, and ceased operations last Thursday, Jan. 5. The Berkely Group has provided a letter for NTA tour operator members regarding insolvency coverage as it pertains to travel booked on Independence Air prior to last week’s shutdown.
In part, the statement from The Berkely Group says, "Insured passengers traveling on or after Jan. 5, 2006, who a) have a trip cancelled or interrupted as a result of Independence Air’s cessation of operations and b) purchased NTA Travel Protection Plan on or before Nov. 6, 2005, would be eligible for bankruptcy coverage under the NTA program." Passengers can contact Berkely to initiate a claim at 800-388-1470 or log on to http://www.travelclaim.com/.
To read the full text of the letter, click here.
Benefit Basics – Ride ACP Rail for Savings
If you are a tour operator who packages Europe, you need to keep in touch with transportation provider ACP Rail International as you plan your transportation components in and around the continent. ACP Rail offers NTA operators a nine percent commission on passes for the following rail product lines: BritRail, Eurail, Sweden Rail, Scandinavian Rail, Norwegian Rail, Italian Rail, German Rail and Spanish Rail, and you can learn more by clicking here.
Michael Dee, sales territory coordinator for the Americas, explains the value of ACP Rail for NTA tour operators. "With our dedicated reservation desk and knowledgeable rail specialists, we make the booking and planning process easy for your business. Whether your clients want to visit the vibrant cities and green countrysides of England, the beautiful fjords of Norway, or everything in between, ACP Rail International can help you make your clients’ travel plans a reality and reward your business with more revenue."
For more information on product lines, brochure requests or booking information, contact Michael Dee at 201-798-4553 or via e-mail at michaeldee@acprail.com.
In each issue of Tuesday this year, there will be a "Benefit Basics" article. This series is designed to help you learn more about the benefits of your NTA membership so you can take full advantage of all your association has to offer.
Tour Operators: Speed Date at Spring Meet
While the NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet schedule includes an impressive list of choices for seminars and social outings, don’t overlook the Operator-to-Operator Networking session on Friday, March 24.
The session will feature the speed-dating format, which was introduced at last year’s Spring Meet and utilized again in Detroit. The session, which consists of more than 20 three-minute mini-appointments, is intended to help tour operators quickly identify potential business partners.
Sharon Gaiptman, director of marketing/trade and international sales for Alaska Discovery, participated in her first session of speed dating during the 2005 NTA Annual Convention in Detroit. Of the experience, Gaiptman says, "The speed-dating session is a great way to open doors to new tour operator partners. There was just enough time to exchange cards, ascertain whether or not there was potential for a new partnership and shake hands before moving on to the next ‘date.’ "
Register today to participate in the 2006 Tour Operator Spring Meet, March 22-25, in Louisville, Ky. Contact your Member Services team at 800-682-8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4444 for more information.
Spring Meet – it’s all about you!
Even though the new year is only 10 days old, NTA has been lighting up the national airwaves by being part of interviews on National Public Radio and Travel Talk Radio.
Last week, NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP, was interviewed on NPR’s "MarketPlace." Phillips discussed the recent "disaster tours" taking place along the Gulf Coast with host Stacey Vanek-Smith. To listen to the piece, click here.
NTA Legislative Counsel Jim Santini also was on the air recently. Santini was interviewed on Travel Talk Radio Sunday, Jan 8. He and host Sandy Dhuyvetter talked about what the new year has in store for NTA, particularly things relating to government and industry relations. You can listen in by visiting http://www.traveltalkradio.com/, where you can view a list of broadcasting radio stations or access the show’s archives.
Renew by Jan. 31 to be in Membership Directory
Want to make sure your company appears in the 2006-07 NTA Membership Directory? Then go ahead and renew your membership right away. To be included in this comprehensive 600-plus page publication, which is distributed to all members, you must renew by Jan. 31.
Also, as you are sending in your renewals, check to make sure you have the correct mailing address for NTA, especially in your Accounts Payable databases. The one to use is:
National Tour Association
546 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40508
Avian Flu, Be Prepared Not Panicked
This Thursday, Jan. 12, TIA is sponsoring a Web seminar that will provide you with the facts about the avian flu virus. Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, expert consultant on infectious diseases with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is leading the seminar, which goes from 2-3 p.m. ET and costs $75.
To register, click here, or for further information contact TIA’s Simon Heo via e-mail at sheo@tia.org or by calling 202-408-2153.
Still trying to come up with a meaningful New Year’s resolution? Consider giving back to your industry by becoming a member of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow.
There are different levels of Tourism Cares membership, which is separate from belonging to NTA, ranging from an Associate Membership at $100 to the Tourism Cares Leadership Circle for $5,000. Each category has its own set of benefits, but all help you do the right thing.
To fulfill that resolution, visit http://www.tourismcares.org/ and click on "Join Tourism Cares for Tomorrow." If you also made a resolution to stop procrastinating, make sure to keep that one, too, by joining today!
2006-07 Membership Directory Preparations Underway
The new year is here, and once again it’s time to think about the annual NTA Membership Directory, which will include valuable contact information on you and your industry partners. What better way to put your company in front of so many tourism professionals than by being part of this comprehensive publication?
Advertising space is available with sizes ranging from 1/6 page to a full page. This year will mark the second time the directory includes easy to navigate color-coded sections. Additionally, you can choose to upgrade your membership listing. An enhanced listing will highlight and bold your contact information with space for your company’s four-color logo.
The space deadline for advertising in the directory is March 1, and you can talk to your account executive today for more details by calling 800-682-8886, ext. 4238 (U.S. and Canada) or 859-226-4238.
Also, the 2007 Courier Editorial Calendar has been released. Click here to see what’s ahead for Courier, since 2007 offers brand new features, trip planners and travel guides and promises to offer plenty of advertising exposure.