HQ Holiday Hours | Webinar:Travel Exchange Mobile App
December 18, 2012
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TODAY’S ARTICLES
Season’s Greetings and HQ Holiday Hours
Learn the ‘Ins and Outs’ of the Travel Exchange Mobile App
When You Fly into Orlando …
Hispanics in Travel Caucus to Showcase Growing Market
We’re Counting on Your Input
Hao Shares China Market Insights at Massachusetts Workshop
These Volunteer Jobs Need You
Reach 20,000 Qualified Student Travel Planners
From Bruce Beckham to You
Industry News and Updates
Season’s Greetings and HQ Holiday Hours
NTA Headquarters sends you warm greetings for a jolly holiday season! The office will be officially closed for the winter holiday from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1, reopening Jan. 2. During this time, though, NTA staff will be available to answer your urgent needs. You can email questions@NTAstaff.com; that mailbox will be checked daily over the holiday, except for Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1.
Tuesday will take a break next week on Dec. 25, but you’ll receive a New Year’s Day issue.
The last day to book accommodations for Travel Exchange through the NTA Housing Bureau is Dec. 28. From now through the 28th, the bureau is open around the clock, seven days a week. You’ll need your NTA login for making reservations online. You can also call the bureau 1.877.287.1212 (toll-free within North America) or 1.913.338.8750.
Learn the ‘Ins and Outs’ of the Travel Exchange Mobile App
You’ve downloaded the Travel Exchange ’13 mobile app and you’re all set to go, right? Now the question remains: "How exactly do I use it?" 
It’s an intuitive app, so be comfortable playing around with all the features. If you want a thorough overview of what all it can do, we’ve got you covered. NTA is hosting a special Travel Exchange 2013 mobile app webinar scheduled for two different times on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST.
This is your chance to learn the ins and outs of this great convention tool. (For a list of what you can do with this app, click here.) If you’d like to attend, please click on a link below to reserve your spot!
If you haven’t downloaded this FREE app, now is the time! Search for "Travel Exchange 2013" on the iTunes App Store or on Google Play and then register to join your colleagues at the webinar on Jan. 16. See you in Orlando!
Have you registered for Travel Exchange yet? It’s time! Register here to join us at the industry show created for organizations looking for growth in their business!
Complimentary shuttle service will run from the airport to Travel Exchange hotels on Sunday and Monday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To find the shuttles to the Travel Exchange hotels when you arrive at Orlando International Airport, follow the airport signs to baggage claim; a tram shuttle will take you to the main terminal. After you exit the tram in the main terminal, follow the airport signs again to baggage claim for the airline on which you arrived. You’ll take an escalator from Level 3, the tram level, to the baggage claim area on Level 2. (Click here for a detailed airport arrival map.)
While descending the escalator, look for Florida Coast to Coast greet staff; they’ll be wearing red polo shirts trimmed in white and holding a Travel Exchange sign. Identify yourself to the staff person before retrieving your luggage. After you get your bags, the staff person will direct you down to Level 1, where scheduled transportation is waiting.
If you don’t see the staff person during shuttle hours, feel free to call the Arriving Guest Hot Line: 407.802.3444.
Hispanics in Travel Caucus to Showcase Growing Market
Travel Exchange is the site of the Hispanics in Travel Caucus, which will include a 
Café con Leche (informal discussion and networking) that will bring together key tourism professionals to discuss the growing U.S. Hispanic market. The session, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, will feature Jorge Plasencia, chair of the National Council of La Raza, as keynote speaker.
The caucus is the second such event created by the NTA-ASTA Hispanic Business Development Task Force, chaired by Olga Ramudo, president of Express Travel in Miami.
"The Hispanic community is thrilled to know that the tourism industry is looking at the potential and unique opportunities this market brings to our industry," said Ramudo, who also has a seat on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
Travel professionals of Hispanic origin—or those actively involved in developing travel for the Hispanic market—are invited to attend. Please contact NTA Headquarters by email or call 1.859.264.6540.
The Hispanics in Travel Caucus is set for 3:15 p.m. on Jan. 22. For the entire Travel Exchange schedule, follow this link. And to register, click here.
The strengths of NTA are you and your business, so the survey you’ve recently been invited to complete gets right to core of the association. Not only will your response help us plan services and education that meet your needs, the survey results will give you a good idea of where you fit into the current climate for business. Plus, reporters often contact us for this type of big-picture info.
We can’t give anybody a good picture of NTA members’ business, though, unless NTA members respond to the survey! Your private link to the survey (and all results will remain absolutely confidential) was first emailed to you from NTA Headquarters on Tuesday, Dec. 11, with a reminder yesterday. If you haven’t filled it out, please do. We need you to complete the picture!
Hao Shares China Market Insights at Massachusetts Workshop
Last week the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism held a Focus on China Workshop at the prestigious State House, Hall of Flags in Boston. Attendees received information about the China tourism market from several speakers, including Haybina Hao, NTA director of international development. Hao’s session featured an analysis of the China inbound market, characteristics of Chinese travelers and a description of NTA’s work with this market.
If you want to organize a similar program or seek other assistance from NTA’s in-house Chinese expertise, contact Hao by email.
We asked and you answered. Or at least many of you have answered the call for volunteers. We need more help, though! Here are the volunteer roles at Travel Exchange we’re hoping to fill:
- Mentors for Tourism Cares scholarship recipients (Let them shadow you during your
appointments.) - Greeters on Sunday morning (Welcome your peers to Travel Exchange.)
- Registration helpers for Monday and Tuesday (late afternoon shifts, both days)
- Seminar monitors (Make sure the lights are on and seats are filled!)
Serving as a volunteer helps everyone at Travel Exchange, including you, as you’ll get an extra opportunity to network in Orlando. You can sign up to volunteer here. Questions about volunteering? Email NTA Headquarters or call 800.682.8886 (U.S. & Canada) or +1.859.264.6540.
Reach 20,000 Qualified Student Travel Planners
There’s still time to reach 20,000 qualified student travel planners—while they’re 
planning! Advertise in NTA’s Trip Planner for Student Travel. Published in March, this publication will be distributed to 20,000 planners and NTA tour operators who coordinate trips for elementary- to college-age students. That audience includes science and social studies teachers, choral and music educators, principals and university music directors.
Check out last year’s issue and contact NTA Services Inc. or call +1.859.264.6559 to learn how you can be promoted in this publication. Space deadline is Jan. 18, so contact us today!
As the year draws to a close, take a minute to read this letter from Bruce Beckham, executive director of Tourism Cares. It’s a poignant piece and a nice reminder of why the organization is NTA’s official philanthropy.
- AAA projects 93.3 million Americans (up 1.6 percent from 2011) will travel 50 miles or more from home during the holiday season, Saturday, Dec. 22, to Tuesday, Jan. 1. Nine out of 10 will travel by automobile, representing 26 percent of the total U.S. population.
- BRIC tourists (Brazil, Russia, India and China) live up to their reputation as shopping-intensive travelers. According to TCI Research, more than 25 percent of BRIC tourists mention shopping as the main purpose of their visit; twice as many as from other markets.
- The U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries has two opportunities for U.S. companies to reach tour operators in Europe: Showcase USA-Italy, March 3 to 5 in Milan, and Equitana 2013, March 16 to 24 in Essen, Germany.
- And also from OTTI, (along with the U.S. Commercial Service Travel & Tourism Team) is access to a recording of a recent webinar on the five-year Forecast for International Travel. The webinar (with PowerPoint) costs $25.
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