Tuesday Newsletter – Special Convention Issue
October 2, 2007
Tuesday Newsletter Oct. 2, 2007
Volume 27: Issue 40
Tuesday Archives
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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. |
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SPECIAL ANNUAL CONVENTION ISSUE
Get Ready for the 2007 NTA Annual Convention
Appointment Scheduling Deadline is Oct. 5
NTA Central is Your Source at Convention
New CTP Program to be Introduced at Convention
Get an Update on Your Association at the Business Luncheon
Support NTA’s Government Relations Fundraising Efforts
Sightseeing Tours Showcase Kansas City
Members Save with NTA Official Corporate Partners
Lots of Action at the Monday Reception
Tourism Cares Welcomes 2007 Scholarship Recipients to Convention
Submit Your Convention Photos for the Week in Review Video
Stand Out from the NTA Crowd – Sponsor and Advertise to Get Noticed
Get Ready for the 2007 NTA Annual Convention
Kansas City, Missouri, is preparing to welcome NTA, Nov. 2-6, for great business, quality product development and a whole lot of fun. During the course of five days of the 2007 NTA Annual Convention, you can meet face-to-face with thousands of the most qualified professionals in your industry.
NTA’s Annual Convention will be the place to take part in open-forum discussions, hear about industry trends and learn ways to improve your business at the educational seminars. A strong lineup of social events will allow you to enjoy the culture of Kansas City and do some informal networking.
There are many enhancements in store for delegates in Kansas City. Tour operators won’t want to miss the Buyer-to-Buyer Exchange, Friday, Nov. 2, from 9:15 a.m.-noon. The Buyer-to-Buyer Exchange has replaced what was previously the Speed Dating session. Tour operators will have the opportunity to buy and sell during their seven-minute appointments, since participants are not classified as buyers or sellers.
The new Destination Pavilion will allow states, provinces and countries to highlight their product by region. The Destination Pavilion, which replaced the DMO workstations, offers tour operators a better way to shop for new product ideas. Suppliers should contact their state, provincial and country DMO to find out how to participate in their region.
Also, seven-minute appointments will be back for DMOs during the Tour & Travel Exchange. Featuring a truly open-floor format, the Exchange is the place where you can get down to business with your peers through one-on-one appointments. DMOs will have prescheduled business appointments during the Saturday Exchange, and tour suppliers will have prescheduled appointments during the Exchange sessions on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
For further information please contact your Member Services Team at 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4444.
Appointment Scheduling Deadline is Oct. 5
Don’t forget to submit your final appointment request list for the 2007 Convention by this Friday, Oct. 5. The online appointment scheduling system is an important tool to help you prepare for success at Convention and you need to use it to finalize your Tour & Travel Exchange appointment requests.
Appointment schedules will be posted Oct. 12 at noon ET at NTAonline.com. Watch for an e-mail reminder, as well as an announcement in Tuesday. The customized schedules will tell you which company you meet with at which time and will also indicate the operator’s booth number where your appointment will take place.
Here are a few helpful tips to take into account while finalizing your Tour & Travel Exchange appointment request list:
- You will need your registration number to log on to the request system.
- If you have not made updates to your request list recently, you should use the search feature to find any companies that may have been added since you last made changes to your list. New companies that you want to meet with may have registered since you last logged on.
- Submit a full list; this will create a more productive schedule for you at Convention.
If you have further questions contact your Member Services Team at 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4444.
NTA Central is Your Source at Convention
Access everything NTA at this year’s Convention by visiting NTA Central, sponsored by Amtrak. This revamped area in the Convention Mall is replacing the former Welcome and Information Center.
With its new name, NTA Central now brings together in one place many delegate stops – first-timer and volunteer check-in, Convention 101 sessions, convention center tours, mock appointments for newcomers, advertising information on Courier and other NTA publications, government relations, details on the CTP program and assistance in learning what you can find at NTAonline.com.
Please visit the Convention Web site for further information regarding NTA Central.
New CTP Program to be Introduced at Convention
At last year’s Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, NTA announced a partnership with Temple University to redesign its Certified Tour Professional program. The new program, which will be introduced during Convention, promises to be the most relevant certification program in the packaged travel industry.
After gathering input from more than a hundred association members and vetting the program structure with NTA’s Communication and Education Development Committee, Temple designed a program based on members’ needs. There will be a program overview and introduction to the CTP on Friday, Nov. 2, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Additionally, there will be four seminars that are CTP approved courses:
- Strategic Packaged Travel Organizational Leadership, Management and Administration – Part 1, Saturday, Nov. 3, 9:15-10:30 a.m.
- Strategic Packaged Travel Organizational Leadership, Management and Administration – Part 2, Saturday, Nov. 3, 10:45 am-Noon
- Strategic Packaged Travel Organizational Marketing and Sales – Part 1, Sunday, Nov. 4, 9:15-10:30 a.m.
- Strategic Packaged Travel Organizational Marketing and Sales – Part 2, Sunday, Nov. 4, 10:45 a.m.-Noon.
If you are currently enrolled in the CTP program, you may complete the old program requirements by Dec. 31, 2007, or you can roll over into the new program. For additional information, click here or contact NTA Vice President of Communications Catherine Prather. At Convention, you can stop by NTA Central, sponsored by Amtrak, to learn more about the new CTP program.
Get an Update on Your Association at the Business Luncheon
NTA has revamped the way the annual association update will be presented at Convention, as it will just be given once during the Saturday Business Meeting Luncheon. During the lunch, which goes from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m., all members will hear a general overview of the NTA year, which traditionally has been done three separate times in each category’s business meetings.
In the update, NTA Chairman and CEO Randy Julian will talk about the membership resolution and he’ll share results from the survey about the resolution, which you received today.
Support NTA’s Government Relations Fundraising Efforts
Tickets are going fast for the Issues Luncheon, featuring The Capitol Steps. Tickets purchased before you arrive in Kansas City are $50 and will be $60 on site. The Issues Luncheon is co-sponsored by Motorcoach Industries, the Little Rock CVB and Destination Arkansas.
In addition, you can win $10,000 at Convention by purchasing your tickets for the Great Government Giveaway. Tickets are $100 or three for $200, and a maximum of 250 tickets will be sold. The winner of the Giveaway, will take home $10,000. You do not have to be in Kansas 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 Convention, visit NTA Central to participate in government relations fundraisers and get information about hot industry issues.
Sightseeing Tours Showcase Kansas City
The $7 billion renaissance that is bringing new attractions to the Kansas City, Missouri, area is just one of many things delegates can experience during Sunday’s sightseeing tours. The sights, sounds and smells of the region will be on display when you step out to experience Kansas City’s most popular venues.
Delegates will learn more about this year’s host city, pick up a few tips for future product development and experience KC’s Midwestern hospitality, swinging jazz, mouthwatering barbecue and group-friendly museums.
Sightseeing tours run Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. and the shuttles depart from the convention center. Here is a list of the 10 tours available to NTA delegates:
Advanced reservations are highly encouraged for the sightseeing tours. To sign up, contact Barbara Kusnierkiewicz at 816.691.3857.
Members Save with NTA Official Corporate Partners
While buying and selling packaged travel may be your focus at Annual Convention, don’t forget to stop by NTA’s Corporate Partner booths to learn how your company can save big bucks through NTA’s Official Corporate Partner program.
Be sure to visit the booths of these Corporate Partners to learn more about NTA’s endorsed programs:
- The Berkely Group: Earn up to 35 percent compensation on Berkely’s comprehensive and competitive Travel Protection Plan. Also, members can receive up to 10 percent in credits on Berkely’s already low rates for Professional Liability insurance.
- Capital One: Reduced credit card processing services for NTA members with no set up or underwriting fees, and no annual or compliance fees.
- GE Money: NTA’s newest Corporate Partner offers promotional credit for consumers – a new tool for tour operators to offer their consumers deferred interest credit options.
- ITS Design & Printing: NTA members receive a 5 percent discount on all orders over $5,000 and a 2.5 percent discount on all orders between $1,500 to $5,000 on quality design and printing services.
Just look for the big sign above the Corporate Partner booths and find your way to immediate savings through our exclusive NTA programs.
For more information on each of the companies listed above, along with NTA’s other Corporate Partners – Staples, Chase Paymentech, Pottruff & Smith and DHL – visit the NTA Web site.
Lots of Action at the Monday Reception
Once the Monday Tour & Travel Exchange appointments end, all delegates are invited to stay at the Convention Mall for the Monday Reception and Tourism Cares Live Auction.
The reception goes from 5 to 6 p.m. and is sponsored by BCI, Dattco Coach & Tour and Gaylord Hotels and Entertainment. During the hour, Shane Ratliff will be on stage leading the proceedings for the Tourism Cares Live Auction. In addition to definitive items such as vacation packages and sporting items, this year’s auction features a new motorcoach. Thanks to a generous donation from Stallion Bus Industries LLC, which is providing a state-of-the-art SLC 936 Sunliner Coach, a 36-passenger motorcoach will be up for bids during the event.
Additionally, bidding for items in the Tourism Cares Silent Auction will close after the reception at 6 p.m.
Tourism Cares Welcomes 2007 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 Student Program at the NTA Convention.
Through the generosity of sponsors and supporters of Tourism Cares, the students receive complimentary registration, lodging and activities. Tourism Cares academic scholarship recipients will participate in the program along with some travel and tourism students from local Missouri universities. Also, for the first time, three Canadian students who are recipients of Tourism Cares-Tourism Kelowna Service-Learning Scholarships will be at Convention.
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 Nevada Rocks event may remember the students who assisted with greeting and coat check.
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, e-mail Jill Talladay. To volunteer to mentor a student or to endow a scholarship, e-mail Carolyn Viles. top of page
Submit Your Convention Photos for the Week in Review Video
Again this year, PhotoVision will be the official photographer at the NTA Annual Convention. The company will have representatives in Kansas City taking pictures of the event that NTA will use in its publications and for promotional purposes. Additionally, the photos will be available online after the event.
PhotoVision also will be creating the Week in Review video, to be shown at the Final Night Gala Dinner on Tuesday. Members are encouraged to take their own photos during the week and then download them at a docking station at the PhotoVision booth on the Convention Mall floor. PhotoVision will pull together some of the best shots, set them to music and create a video recapping the week in Kansas City.
Stand Out from the NTA Crowd – Sponsor and Advertise to Get Noticed
With more than 2,000 delegates in attendance, NTA’s Annual Convention will be buzzing with excitement and ways for you to get your marketing message out. While attending is your first step to success in selling your company and destination, sponsorship and advertising can provide additional exposure.
NTA offers a variety of Convention sponsorship and advertising opportunities and we can hand-deliver your message to the nearly 400 tour operators in attendance. Furthermore, our December issue of Courier is a great follow-up to your Convention success. To advertise in this issue, you must hurry … the deadline to participate is this Friday, Oct. 5.
For more information on sponsorship, click here. To advertise and enhance your presence at NTA’s Annual Convention, click here or contact an account executive via e-mail or by calling 800.682.8886, ext. 4232 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4232 for your personal consultation and a customized proposal.