Farr and Bonner Take U.S. Caucus Helm | Which Business Builders Are Right for You?
February 8, 2011
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TODAY’S ARTICLES
Farr and Bonner Take U.S. Caucus Helm
Which Business Builders Are Right for You?
4 Easy Ways to Show Online Expertise
Members Offer Insights on Egypt
Apply for a 10K Grant from Tourism Cares
Meet Europe at Two Great Workshops
There’s a Tracking Tool for Everyone
More Wine (& Culinary) = Less Whine
Buyers Welcomed at Acapulco Event
Tune In and Maximize Your Membership Benefits
Industry News and Updates
NTA Job Center
Farr and Bonner Take U.S. Caucus Helm
The announcement that Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) would join Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) as co-chair of the Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus came as welcome news to our association, according to Lisa Simon, president of NTA.
"These two congressmen make a dynamic leadership combination, and they both understand the economic and job-creating power of travel and tourism," said Simon. "We already know what a phenomenal leader Congressman Farr has been on the travel caucus for more than a decade. He represents the California district that includes Monterey Bay, which is such a vibrant tourism area. And now Congressman Bonner has joined him in a leadership role. Coming from the Alabama Gulf Coast, Bonner has been through the challenges of Katrina and the Gulf spill. He understands the interdependent relationship between tourism and local economies."
The travel caucus, more than 100 members strong during the previous Congress, develops legislation promoting U.S. travel and tourism, such as the Travel Promotion Act signed by the president in 2010.
"We know that both congressmen will focus on elevating domestic tourism, a huge economic engine in our country," Simon said. "Ours is a $700 billion industry that employs nearly 8 million people."
NTA can be proud that some of its Alabama members encouraged Rep. Bonner to take on this leadership role. Domestic tourism issues, like the work of the Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus, are an important aspect of the association’s overall legislative priorities.
Which Business Builders Are Right for You?
Business opportunities in this industry come in all shapes and sizes. That’s why NTA has created three Business Builders—all with different purposes—so you can choose which event(s) makes sense for your company. Here’s a brief overview of each NTA Business Builder, and who it’s ideal for (look for your member-type):
Tour operators (buyers)
Attend Montage, Apr. 12-14, in Aberdeen, Scotland, if:
- You’re a North American operator who has not worked in the international arena but would like to.
- You’re a North American operator who has already worked in the international market but would like to expand your knowledge and product.
- You’re a non-North American operator interested in North American product and partnering with North American operators.
- You’d like to take appointments at the VisitScotland EXPO.
- You’d like an intimate, international show full of networking and education.
Attend Contact, Aug. 1-3, in Newport, Rhode Island, if:
- You’re interested in operator-focused education along these three tracks:
– CEO/Owner
– Marketing/Sales
– Operations - You’d like to do operator-to-operator business.
- You’d like to attend the only NTA show designed specifically for tour operators.
Attend Convention ’11, Dec. 5-9, in Las Vegas, Nevada, if:
- You’re interested in buying and developing new product through NTA’s annual all-member, all-access show.
- You’re interested participating in scheduled appointments with NTA members of your choice.
- You’re interested in education. (Convention offers 25+ different sessions.)
- You’re interested in networking.
- You’re interested in strengthening your business and the North American travel industry.
Destinations and Suppliers (sellers)
Attend Montage, Apr. 12-14, in Aberdeen, Scotland, if:
- You’re a North American seller interested in attracting the global market.
- You’re a non-North American seller interested in attracting the North American outbound market.
- You’d like to sell at an intimate, international show full of networking and education.
Attend Contact, Aug. 1-3, in Newport, Rhode Island, if:
- You’d like to sponsor and have valuable one-on-one time with tour operators. (Suppliers and destinations can only attend this operator-exclusive event by sponsoring.)
Attend Convention ’11, Dec. 5-9, in Las Vegas, Nevada, if:
- You’re interested in selling at an all-member, all-access show.
- You’re interested participating in scheduled appointments with NTA tour operators.
- You’re interested in education. (Convention offers 25+ different sessions.)
- You’re interested in building and maintaining NTA member relationships.
- You’re interested in strengthening your business and the North American travel industry.
4 Easy Ways to Show Online Expertise
You’ve probably spent a long time building your expertise in the travel industry, and that helps you stand out and earn business. But do you offer your knowhow online? Consider it. It can further your reputation, build your brand and bring more customers through your doors—or to your Web site.
An article by Rohit Bhargava on AmEx’s Open Forum gives these tips to for establishing yourself as an industry expert:
- Answer questions: Using Facebook, Quora, Twitter and LinkedIn, search for questions within your realm of expertise. Make it a point to answer one or two per day.
- Teach via video: Popular searches on YouTube and Google often start with the words "how to." Make (and post) your own how-to video that addresses a broad question shared by many potential customers.
- Join forces: Find an existing Web site with a built-in audience you want to reach, and contribute an article. You’ll need to pitch it to the site manager, who is likely looking for content written by experts like you.
- Plant a "content bomb": Write an article or blog about a topic that’s always popular, and post it online. Your advice can turn up in online searches for months to come.
Members Offer Insights on Egypt
Ongoing unrest in Egypt leaves NTA tour operators with mixed views about the future of tourism in Egypt, said Lisa Simon, president of NTA. "Some of our members see a fairly short recovery time because of Egypt’s unique offerings; however, others are concerned about the uncertainty and safety of the destination."
Simon has been impressed with how member tour operators have dealt with the situation. "Their response was immediate: They moved quickly to guarantee the safety of their clients and any staff members in Egypt," Simon said. "And since then, they have remained incredibly attentive to developments in Egypt, evaluating daily—hourly, even—what it means for travel there."
Click here to read the story and NTA member insights, posted on eTurbo News Executive Talk.
And another member, ElSayed Khalifa of Visit Egypt, contacted NTA to share his opinion that the current crisis will be fast to fade. He bases his belief on the following factors:
- No tourists were hurt in Egypt as the crisis unfolded.
- A dialogue between various political forces and the government will help Egypt come out of the crisis stronger and more appealing to international travelers.
- All Egypt’s treasures in all cities and outdoor sites are safe.
The crisis has shown how much people around the globe appreciate and cherish Egypt as a tourist destination.
Apply for a 10K Grant from Tourism Cares
Travel-related nonprofit organizations are invited to submit an application to the Tourism Cares Worldwide Grant program.
In 2011 Tourism Cares will award six $10,000 Worldwide Grants in two rounds—spring and summer—for an annual total of $120,000. The executive director and a blue ribbon panel composed of experts in the fields of conservation, preservation, restoration and tourism will evaluate applications and make recommendations to the Tourism Cares Board of Directors.
The deadline to apply for the spring round is March 1 at 5 p.m. ET; for the summer round, it’s July 1 at 5 p.m. ET. Click here for more information on eligibility criteria and to apply.
Please feel free to pass this information along to any natural, cultural or historic sites in your region that you feel are deserving of a Tourism Cares grant. We are always looking for sites in need of assistance!
Meet Europe at Two Great Workshops
If you are a UK and Ireland specialist, or if you’re looking to discover European destinations and meet suppliers for your clients, this is your chance. The European Tour Operators Association is delighted to offer NTA members a special rate for two workshops:
Britain and Ireland Marketplace: March 14 in London
BIM is run by ETOA, in partnership with UKInbound, Visit Britain and Tourism Ireland; it takes place at the beginning of British Tourism Week, two days for before the Best of Britain and Ireland trade show. NTA Buyers have access for just £99 per buyer, two-thirds off the usual non-member rate (£299). Register by February 14 and enter the code NTA2011. Click here for more information about the event—or here for a list of registered delegates.
City Fair: June 20 in London
City Fair is organized by ETOA in partnership with European Cities Marketing to showcase the best of Europe’s cities to tour operator buyers. Meet leading European destinations and city suppliers to develop your European program. NTA Buyers special: Bring one buyer for just £50 and we will offer you a second buyer’s place free of charge. To get Europe’s cities under one roof in one day, register now and enter the code NTA2011. Click here for more information about the event.
There’s a Tracking Tool for Everyone
NTA is committed to the very important task of helping our DMOs track packaged travelers to their area so they can continue to support tour operators with new destinations and new ideas to package. To that end, the tracking page of NTA online offers several options for operators, suppliers and DMOs to get the data they need.
First, for operators and suppliers there is the online tracking system. With a few simple keystrokes, you can let DMOs know that you brought a tour to their area or that your hotel or attraction had a group from an NTA operator. All they need is when and how many people—it’s that easy! For DMOs, there is the ROIdea Book of tracking ideas and best practices from your colleagues as well as helpful links, including T-OO-L Reports, a subscription service offering a database of more than 600 tour operators who report tracking data, both domestic and globally.
If you have questions, new ideas for the ROIdea Book, more helpful tips, links or anything that can assist your fellow NTA members in tracking, please send them to Lisa Thompson, NTA’s director of research and education.
More Wine (& Culinary) = Less Whine
Avoid the whine of wasted marketing dollars by advertising your organization in the upcoming May Courier Wine & Culinary feature. We’ll again feature these popular topics, perfect for your marketing palate. Learn more by contacting +1.859.219.3533 or advertising@ntaservicesinc.com. But hurry—space deadline is Feb. 23.
Along with Wine & Culinary, the May Courier stories include Beach Destinations, National Parks, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon, Chicago and Italy.
Buyers Welcomed at Acapulco Event
Tianguis Turistico is Mexico’s premier tourism event for tour operators, wholesalers, corporate and incentive travel planners, charter operators, associations and travel agents. This important trade show, from March 25 through 28 in Acapulco Beach, will give buyers the opportunity to meet with more than 500 suppliers of Mexico’s tourism-related products and services in two and a half days of pre-scheduled business appointments.
Buyers can register by e-mail from now until March 7. All buyers should commit to sign a minimum of 20 appointments; if not a registration fee of $US200 will be charged. The Hosted Buyer Program offered this year will include the following:
- Air transportation (from hometown to Acapulco)
- Ground transportation (airport-hotel-airport)
- Accommodations in a 5-Star Hotel
- Hotel breakfast, plus lunch at Teotihuacan salon mezzanine
- Buyer badge with appointment schedule
Following confirmation, buyers will get additional information for special events and offers.
Tune In and Maximize Your Membership Benefits
If you’re someone who seeks value in your investments, we’ve got a Webinar for you. Join NTA’s member relations team for the Member Benefits Webinar on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. ET.
Open to all members—and highly recommended for new members—the Webinar will show you how to do the following:
- Make your profile stand out on NTA Online by adding images and updating your company description. (Our member search engine is used 8,000 times a month.)
- Take advantage of other NTA Online resources to promote your company.
- Use the member search engine as a resource for product development.
- Plug in to NTA’s tracking system.
- Expand your business through the NTA Business Builders.
You’ll also have a chance to ask questions at the end of the session.
Contact Dana Deptola today to sign up and receive login instructions. Don’t miss this opportunity to maximize your membership value.
Three items from the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries offer encouraging news:
- Travel and Tourism Spending Highest Since 2004. Share this information with legislators and community leaders to show the economic power of travel:
– Spending on traveler accommodations increased 9.5 percent (3Q 2010).
– Spending on passenger air transportation increased 29.8 percent (3Q 2010).
– More than 8 million jobs are tied to travel and tourism in the United States. - Travel and Tourism Trade Surplus Jumps 47 Percent in 2010. With its surplus now exceeding $28 billion, the travel and tourism industry is a bright spot in the U.S. economy.
- International Visitation Up 10 Percent Through November. During the first 11 months of 2010, 55 million international visitors traveled to the United States, a 10 percent increase.
Gulliver’s Travel Associates, one of the world’s leading wholesalers of hotels, ground products and services to the travel industry is seeking a seasoned Director of National Accounts to lead the strategic planning and National Accounts sales operations team. This position will have a high impact on the company revenue and margin of the company. The Director of National Accounts will evaluate, analyze and implement key partnerships, provide innovative thinking, work with the North America and the Global leadership teams to execute, plan and conduct statistical analysis. S/he will also establish and cultivate key business relationships. This includes utilizing statistical analysis to support partnerships, products and services; interpreting market research to identify new business areas and recommending opportunities operational efficiencies. S/he will also be responsible for periodic reporting and business insights. Qualified candidates will possess a BA with a focus on Business and between 4 to 7 years of experience in project management and/or business development and strategic planning. Travel industry experience is required. Please submit your resumes online to hr@gta-travel.com .
Gulliver’s Travel Associates, one of the world’s leading wholesalers of hotels, ground products, and services to the travel industry is seeking a Group Sales Manager to qualify and develop sales leads into a successful business project and, as a result, increase both revenue and profit within the sales and operations department. This key role involves working with existing clients to target high-yield repeat business, but also requires new opportunities within a market to be identified and actioned. Primary responsibilities will include negotiating and managing group customer accounts, achieving targets and objective sets, building on business within a market through personal contact, phone and regular e-mail updates. Qualified candidates will possess a BA with experience in a sales role within the travel or leisure industry; proven commercial awareness of hotel pricing, service and travel-industry issues; and product knowledge of leading European and worldwide group travel destinations. Please submit your resumes online to hr@gta-travel.com.
NTA Chief Representative in China (Shanghai)
Responsibilities:
- Manage operations of the NTA Visit USA Center to achieve its three-fold purpose: developing education for both U.S. and Chinese trade, facilitating connections between U.S. and Chinese approved tour operators and agents, and marketing the U.S. as a tourism destination.
- Develop and implement a business and marketing plan to achieve the vision and purpose of the center while expanding the business scope in China.
- Develop and implement the Center budget while maintaining a clear understanding of the Center’s bottom line so all budgetary goals are met and even exceeded.
- Coordinate trade shows and other marketing/promotional events in China, as well as organizing activities to the United States such as study tours.
- Supervise personnel to help effectively manage day-to-day operations of the Center.
Requirements:
- Bilingual in Chinese and English.
- Work experience in the United States is preferred.
For more information about this position, e-mail Haybina Hao, NTA’s director of international development.
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