Tuesday Newsletter – Special Convention Issue
October 3, 2006
Tuesday Newsletter Oct. 3, 2006 –
Special Annual Convention Issue
Volume 26: Issue 40
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This issue of Tuesday is sponsored by VisitBritain. For everything you need to know about developing tours to Britain, and to find out about all the British partners who will be joining us at the NTA Convention this year, go to www.visitbritain.com/operators. See you there!. |
| Interested in becoming a sponsor for Tuesday? Contact Karla DiNardo at karla.dinardo@NTA.travel. | |
On the Convention Trail: "The List"
This is the fifth installment of On the Convention Trail, a series of Tuesday articles 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.
As 2006 Convention chair, I hope this will be your most successful Convention ever. There are many ways you can help this become a reality, and preparation is the key.
Through the years my mentor, Jody Colletti, and I have developed a running list of ideas that we feel are keys to having a great Convention. We had originally developed it for our Colorado first-timers, however we now use it for all members as a review at our Pre-Caucus in July. To view "the list," click here.
NTA does such a wonderful job at reminding us of everything we need to do to prepare for Convention. Still, I hope you can use this list as just an additional reminder!
Let us know what you think in Salt Lake City.
Navigating the Tour & Travel Exchange
The Tour & Travel Exchange is the hub of the NTA Annual Convention and is where one-on-one business appointments take place during Convention. Here is some information to help you understand the format of the Exchange floor.
Finally, NTA’s Exchange floor is open, which means there are no guarded entrances or off-limit areas. All delegates are allowed to visit all areas of the Convention floor. Once you arrive in Salt Lake, walk the floor, get your bearings and see all that the 2006 NTA Convention has to offer you!
Appointment Schedules Available in Mid-October; New Direct Request Enhancement
NTA Convention attendees who participated in the appointment request process will receive a personalized e-mail notifying them when they can access their appointments through the online scheduling system. Schedules will be available the week of Oct. 16.
After schedules are posted, all attendees – those with prescheduled appointments and those without – will be able to access the Direct Request manual scheduling feature. This enhancement allows delegates to click on an open time in their schedule to see what companies have availability in their schedule at that specific time. The delegate can select a company from the list of those available and send an electronic request to schedule an appointment.
The entire process is facilitated through the appointment scheduling system, so make sure you check back often to review your requests. Click here to read more about how this process works.
Let Us Hear From You at the "Tell Us How" Lounge
Got a suggestion for how to improve Convention? Been thinking of a better way NTA could help your business? Then make sure to take a few minutes and visit the new "Tell Us How" Lounge in Salt Lake City.
Members of the board of directors are volunteering and will be available in the lounge throughout the Convention, and you are encouraged to stop by and share your thoughts by "telling us how…"
- – we can be a better association
– we can help you grow your business
– we can provide educational opportunities
– we can provide more valuable member benefits
The lounge will be located on the Convention Mall near the refreshments area and Silent Auction tables. Once you are in that section of the Mall, be on the lookout for the big "Tell Us How" sign.
Convention Program is Your On-site Source
Upon your arrival at the Salt Palace, visit the registration counter to pick up your Convention badge and registration bag. In your bag, you will find your 2006 Convention Program, which is your on-site source for most everything you’ll need to know about Convention. In it, you will find:
Your Convention Program, along with a Delegate Registry and Convention Map & Schedule, is provided to give you the information and resources you need for a successful Convention. And, always remember, NTA leaders and staff are available to assist you all week long at the Amtrak Welcome & Information Center near the Convention Mall entrance.
Tony Danza to Headline Tour Operator Dinner
One of the recent additions to the Annual Convention lineup is entertainer Tony Danza. The veteran TV star will be performing standup comedy at the Best Western International Tour Operator Dinner on Friday night.
Danza joins an already impressive list of guests who will be in Salt Lake City for the Convention. A special concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will be part of Tuesday’s Final Night Gala Dinner and Dance. Up-and-coming country music star Trent Willmon will perform at the Holiday Inn Luncheon on Friday and adventurer Jamie Clarke, who climbed Mount Everest, will speak at the Saturday lunch, which is sponsored by the Kansas City CVA.
Other special events include the Icebreaker, to be held Saturday at the Utah Olympic Oval, and the Issues Luncheon and Nevada Rocks for Tomorrow on Sunday (see related articles on these two below).
Support NTA’s Government Relations Fundraising Efforts in Salt Lake City
Tickets are going fast for the Issues Luncheon, featuring "Mr. President" Steve Bridges. Tickets purchased before you arrive in Salt Lake City are $50 and will be $60 on site. The Issues Luncheon is sponsored by the Little Rock CVB/Destination Arkansas with co-sponsorship by MCI.
In addition, you can win $10,000 at Convention by purchasing your ticket(s) for the Great Government Giveaway. Tickets are $100 or 3 for $200, and a maximum of 250 tickets will be sold. The winner of the Giveaway, which is sponsored by the Philadelphia CVB, will take home $10,000. You do not have to be in Salt Lake City to enter.
If you wish to purchase Issues Luncheon or Great Government Giveaway tickets in advance, contact NTA Director of Industry and Government Relations Matt Grayson at matt.grayson@NTA.travel. At Convention, visit the Issues Booth, which is sponsored by Sports Leisure Vacations, to get tickets.
Tourism Cares Welcomes 2006 Scholarship Recipients to Convention
Students are our next generation of leaders in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Each year Tourism Cares invites scholarship recipients to participate in its "Experience the Industry" program at the NTA Convention. Through the generosity of sponsors and supporters of Tourism Cares, the students receive complimentary registration, lodging and activities.
Of the 30 students who will participate this year, half are scholarship recipients and half are from local schools, including the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. The students are fully involved in Convention activities, from shadowing professional mentors during actual business appointments at the Tour & Travel Exchange to assisting Tourism Cares with its annual fundraisers – Nevada Rocks for Tomorrow and the Live and Silent auctions.
Those who attended last year’s Michigan Rocks for Tomorrow event may remember the students who assisted with greeting and coat check. These students donated the gratuities collected to Tourism Cares’ Gulf Coast Restoration Fund and 40 students participated in the Tourism Cares for America 2006 event in March along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This event was life-changing for all participants, including the students.
Awaken your philanthropic spirit to give back to an industry that has given all of us so much. Consider the following ways to support Tourism Cares’ student programs:
To donate to the Tourism Cares auctions at NTA, please contact Lisa Schmiemann at lisas@tourismcares.org. To endow a scholarship, please contact Carolyn Viles at carolynv@tourismcares.org.
When you begin to make your packing list for your trip to Salt Lake City, consult the Convention schedule to see what attire is appropriate.
For all events on Friday, casual attire is acceptable. During the Exchange days the remainder of the week, business attire is appropriate. Click here for more specifics related to the NTA dress policy.
Sponsor at NTA for Even Bigger Business
Sponsorship at NTA’s Annual Convention is one of the best ways to set your company/destination apart from other delegates. Join our growing list of more than 100 sponsors and receive special recognition in advance, in Salt Lake City and after Convention.
This year, NTA has more Convention sponsors than ever, and there is still a chance to get involved with one of many new opportunities. We make sponsorship easy for you, just let us know your marketing objectives and we will assist you in meeting and exceeding your expectations.
Click here for more information on sponsorship, or e-mail sponsorship@NTA.travel.