Fly to Contact and Travel Exchange for Less | NTA, Orlando Saddened by Loss of Industry Leader
May 8, 2012
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TODAY’S ARTICLES
Flying to Contact and Travel Exchange? Do It for Less
NTA, Orlando Saddened by Loss of Industry Leader
NTA Chairman’s Quarterly Update [VIDEO]
Members on Markets: Adventure Travel
Operator’s Adventure Travelers Looking for the ‘Real Deal’
Adventure Destination Sees Range of Visitors
Hitting the Road
Check for Photos from Grassroots Summit
Be Sure to Rendez-vous with NTA in Edmonton
Two Events Highlight NTA’s April in China
NTA Stands against Limits on Government Employees to Attend Conferences
July Courier to Include Travel Exchange Preview, Faith-based Travel and Shopping
They Worked! See Video of Tourism Cares for Pensacola
Flying to Contact and Travel Exchange? Do It for Less
Since most of us don’t live in San Diego, California—the location of Contact ’12—or Orlando, Florida—the location of Travel Exchange—we’ll be looking for ways to get there. If we’re not walking, running, riding, driving or cruising, we’re probably flying. And now, we have three special offers to consider when booking flights to NTA’s next Business Builder events! 
Contact ’12:
United Airlines offer
Delta offer
Travel Exchange:
Delta offer
Here’s to safe—and discounted—travels … we’ll see you in San Diego and Orlando!
You’ve probably heard about the recent NTA road shows in Orlando and at Pow Wow in Los Angeles, and there was another one in Branson, Missouri, yesterday. There are more on the way! Here’s where we’re going in the next few weeks:
- Bristol, Rhode Island
- Rendez-vous Canada 2012, Edmonton, Alberta
- Pigeon Forge, Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Birmingham, Alabama
When is a road show coming to a location near you? Keep an eye on your e-mail inbox for invitations and Tuesday for announcements of future road shows as we travel the country this year.
NTA Chairman’s Quarterly Update [VIDEO]
In case you missed it, NTA Chairman and CEO Jim Reddekopp was at NTA headquarters last week and recorded a quarterly update just for you. Find out how many travelers NTA operators move each year, where NTA has been in the last few months and how the association is working with Brand USA, among other things.
To get more information on the events Jim discusses, see the links below:
Contact 2012, Aug. 16-18, in San Diego, California
Travel Exchange, January 20-25, 2013, in Orlando, Florida
And be sure to see past (and future) issues of Tuesday and Courier for more information!
Members on Markets: Adventure Travel
Looking for adventure? Between 35 and 40 percent of NTA operators report that they book adventure travel, a topic explored in the May issue of Courier. Both the definition and the popularity of adventure travel are expanding. According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel may be any tourist activity that includes two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction, and engagement with nature.
Following, two NTA members share their own information and insight about this market.
Operator’s Adventure Travelers Looking for the ‘Real Deal’
When Cazenave Argentina opened 21 years ago, the company specialized in agricultural tours. But since the late ’90s, when the company first offered overland and horseback expeditions in Patagonia, the adventure department kept growing, adding wildlife watching, trekking, mountain climbing, fly fishing, and bicycle and kayak expeditions into national parks.
Adventure now holds nearly a third of Cazenave Argentina’s business, and the market is still on the upswing, said Jorge Cazenave, director of the company. "What used to be exceptional, say white water rafting, is something that lots of people have experienced in the last few years," he said. "People are willing to accept less comfort for an authentic outdoors experience. We have seen this not only with young people but also with senior travelers who want to take a walk on the wild side."
Key ingredients of adventure travel, Cazenave believes, are close contact with nature, pushing outside your comfort zone and authenticity. "Travelers are looking for the real deal," he said. "You can ‘experience’ Africa in a U.S. theme park, but riding a horse among a herd of zebras is a totally different experience."
Cazenave believes that adventure travel is becoming more popular with inspiration from television, including Dora the Explorer, Discovery, Animal Planet and National Geographic. And if you’re thinking about adding adventure travel, Cazenave advises that you know your partners.
"The key in adventure travel is working with the right outfitters and local operators," he said. "Accidents do happen, so knowing who you work with-and their safety standards-is very important."
And speaking of safety, Cazenave suggests you assess your customers’ level of fitness and experience. "Some people think they can do absolutely everything, and others think they are not able to do anything more than step in and out of a bus," he said. "Usually both are wrong!"
Ironically, safety can conceivably hamper adventure travel. Cazenave said that with advances in communication technology, travel to previously isolated destinations now seems less, well, adventurous.
Adventure Destination Sees Range of Visitors
Located in the Four Corners area of Utah, Moab is surrounded by beautiful canyons and high mountains, with the mighty Colorado River coursing to the north of the resort
town. Because of its location and topography, Moab is a popular adventure destination for people of all ages, said Marian DeLay, executive director of the Moab Area Travel Council.
"We host ages from 2 to 92-plus, and each person enjoys an adventure that has been defined by them," she said. "We feature the outdoors in almost every activity and attraction, but we also have museums, galleries, wineries and shops to charm the more passive visitor."
The trend is for visitors to be less passive, though, according to DeLay. "In general we see a more active and healthier lifestyle with our visitors," she said. "Our younger visitors are more in tune with the outdoors and their health, and the seniors are more active and want to take part in the activities provided by our outfitters."
While some visitors travel to Moab because of its adventurous activities (the DMO touts adventure "for the mild, wild and extreme"), others become inspired when they arrive. "Often people don’t consider doing the wild or extreme until they actually see it, and it’s possible to witness it everywhere," DeLay said. "We have amazing, safety-minded guides for our activities, so trying out a new adventure in Moab is one of the best places to do it."
Moab is a gateway town to Arches and Canyonlands national parks, and its Slickrock Bike Trail and the miles of other trails have made Moab a mecca for mountain biking. And less-active visitors enjoy a mild hike, a windshield ride and the town’s inviting main street.
"We have been very fortunate in Moab through the last couple of years, and we’re still receiving reports of increased sales for tour operators, domestic and international," DeLay said. And as travelers’ lifestyles become more active, DeLay expects more and more of them to visit Moab.
NTA, Orlando Saddened by Loss of Industry Leader
Gary Sain, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, died Friday night. He was 61 years old.
Sain was a driving force behind making Orlando a leading family destination. He took the helm of the Orlando Tourism Bureau in 2007 and renamed it Visit Orlando. Orlando reached a record of 51.5 million visitors in 2010.
"Gary’s enthusiasm and positive energy was contagious," said Lisa Simon, CTP, NTA president. "He was a visionary for Orlando and the entire industry. His leadership was inspiring."
Sain was actively involved with U.S. Travel Association, Brand USA Marketing Advisory Council, Visit Florida and a number of other associations and organizations. He gave a speech to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida just prior his death.
"This is very tragic news and a terrible loss for our community," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in a statement. "Under Gary’s leadership as Visit Orlando’s president and CEO, he helped put Orlando on the map as the No. 1 tourism destination in the world, continuing to solidify our tourism market and the backbone of our economy."
Sain had been scheduled to be honored for his leadership during National Travel and Tourism Week, which started Saturday.
UPDATE:
Details for Gary Sain’s visitation and funeral services have been released. Both are open to the public. Also below are various ways individuals may make donations in Gary’s memory.
Visitation and Funeral Service
- Visitation will take place from 3 to 7 PM on Friday, May 11, at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home. Baldwin Fairchild is located at 301 N.E. Ivanhoe Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32804; 407-898-8111.
- Additional visitation will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, immediately prior to the Celebration of Life and Funeral Service set for 11 a.m. at Northland, A Church Distributed, located at 530 Dog Track Road, Longwood, FL 32759; 407-949-4000.
- To honor his memory, the family suggests that attendees wear something in Gary’s favorite color – orange.
- Immediately following the Saturday service, burial will take place at The Palm Cemetery, located at 1005 South New York Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789; 407-599-3252.
Donations in Gary’s Honor
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in Gary’s honor to one of two funds.
UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management:
Donations may be made to the Gary C. Sain Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Instructions for donations are as follows:
Gifts using Credit Cards:
Please go to the UCF Foundation Rosen College of Hospitality Management donation website.
In the first section – Donation Information – input the amount of the gift and then in same section under Designation please choose the Gary C. Sain Memorial Endowed Scholarship option in the drop down menu. Please complete the rest of the form and hit Donate Now button.
Checks should be made out to The UCF Foundation and in the memo line, write Gary C. Sain Memorial Endowed Scholarship and mail to: UCF Foundation, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 140, Orlando, FL 32826
For wire transfers, stock and mutual fund gifts, please contact Lori Cosmides at LCosmides@ucf.edu, 409-903-8249
Destination and Travel Foundation
The Destination & Travel Foundation also has established a memorial fund in the name of Gary C. Sain to honor his leadership and legacy in the destination marketing industry. Donations can be mailed to:
Destination & Travel Foundation
2025 M St. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Donations may also be made online at destinationtravel.org.
Hotel Information
For those traveling to Orlando for Gary’s services, the Rosen Shingle Creek is extending a special Friends & Family rate of $89 per night. Call 407-996-9939 and ask for reservations, or call reservations directly at 866-996-6338, ask for Rosen Shingle Creek, and identify the guestroom block for the Sain Family Memorial.
Check for Photos from Grassroots Summit
The Grassroots Congressional Travel Summit kicks off today in Washington, D.C, and includes appearances by leading industry figures and key Congressional leaders. To see photos, visit the NTA Facebook page.
Attendees will receive updates on important tourism issues and legislation, and will then take those talking points to the Hill and meet with their elected representatives. For a schedule of the three-day event, click here.
Be Sure to Rendez-vous with NTA in Edmonton
After a busy and productive week at Pow Wow International, NTA will be active at another major show, Rendez-vous Canada, May 13–16, in Edmonton, Alberta. Your association will be represented by Canadian Task Force chairman Jim Warren, NTA board member (and board liaison to the task force) Grant Pollard, and Cheryl Adams, NTA membership specialist. All three will be taking appointments during the event, expected to draw some 1,500 delegates.
NTA has also scheduled a breakfast on Sunday, May 13, when members of the Canadian Task Force will make a presentation to representatives of provincial tourism offices. And all NTA members are invited to attend a reception at Chateau Lacombe on Sunday at 5 p.m. If you’d like to attend the reception, please RSVP here. The gathering will give members an opportunity to share ideas for increasing awareness of Canadian product with NTA tour operators, learn more about Travel Exchange ’13-and network!
If you’re at Rendez-vous Canada, be sure to stop by booth No. 1242 and say hello to Team NTA.
Two Events Highlight NTA’s April in China
NTA and the NTA Visit USA Center have just wrapped up two successful events in China. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy Commercial Service, NTA held an American Tourism Road Show in Tianjin on April 16 and showcased 14 companies, including six tour operators, six destinations and two suppliers, all working to promote travel to the U.S. More than 160 local trade and media attended the show, which generated news stories in eight major media outlets. At least a dozen more picked up the story.
From April 18 through 20, NTA again hosted the U.S. Pavilion at the China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market in Beijing. Eleven U.S. companies joined the Pavilion, including Fairfax County, NY SKYRIDE, Ultra Diamonds, Utah Office of Tourism, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and several tour operators. The U.S. Pavilion also jointly presented a seminar to the Chinese travel trade.
"COTTM 2012 enjoyed record-high attendance. At the end of day one of this B2B show, all the promotional materials at our booth had been picked up, including all 500 copies of the 2012 edition of the ‘Best of USA’ China Directory," said Haybina Hao, NTA’s director of international development. "This signifies that the Chinese outbound travel companies are preparing to sell more U.S. products."
Information about the NTA China Inbound Program is here.
NTA Stands against Limits on Government Employees to Attend Conferences
NTA, along with other industry associations, is urging Congress to reconsider placing severe restrictions on government employees’ ability to attend meetings and conferences. NTA President Lisa Simon signed a letter from the American Society of Association Executives, asking members of Congress to modify amendments to separate bills in the House and Senate and allow federal employees to attend educational conferences held by associations.
The action by Congress came last month in response to a U.S. General Services Administration conference held in 2010, which is being investigated for lavish spending. The ASAE letter supports accountability but asks Congress to restore interaction between federal and private-sector workers at educational conferences:
"There is little defense for exorbitant or wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. However, while the amendments are designed to limit spending on government-sponsored conferences and travel expenses for federal employees, the actual language would have a chilling effect on government employees’ participation in non-governmental meetings and conferences as well."
In asking for a more measured response to the GSA scandal, U.S. Travel, in a list of talking points, states that meetings and events are vital to the industry and the U.S. economy, generating $99 billion in direct travel spending in 2011.
July Courier to Include Travel Exchange Preview, Faith-based Travel and Shopping
The July issue of Courier magazine will be full of helpful information and insight: It’s a must-read for all things Travel Exchange, faith-based travel and shopping. Would you like to advertise in this issue that is sure to get a lot of looks? Contact advertising@ntaservicesinc.com or call 859.264.6559 today to learn how your ad
can be included in this issue!
Other coverage in the July issue includes Austria, Germany and Switzerland, Coastal California (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco), Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
"We support Courier and NTA because they provide excellent opportunities to keep our destination in front of the tour operators," said Carolyn Joyce, Fort Smith CVB, NTA member since 1990.
Interested in learning about all of NTA Services‘ publications and offerings? Click here to access the 2012 Media Kit.
They Worked! See Video of Tourism Cares for Pensacola
Several NTA members and HQ staff joined with 200 travel professionals to help preserve and restore the Pensacola, Florida, lighthouse and clean up shore areas during Tourism Cares for Pensacola. Their work—and spirit—can be seen in this video.
Watch for speaking roles from NTA members: Dan Sullivan Jr., CEO of Collette and Tourism Cares board chair; former NTA board member Greg Takehara of Aon Corporation/The Berkely Group; and Jessica Ahern of Tourism Cares.
Click here for the Tuesday archive.
