Online Auction in Vegas | Tomorrow Is the Last Day to …
November 29, 2011
Interested in advertising in Tuesday? E-mail Kami Risk.
NOTE: With the NTA Convention in full swing next week, there will not be an issue of Tuesday. To get updated news on what’s happening in Las Vegas, check the NTA Facebook page or follow #NTA11 on Twitter. The next issue of Tuesday will be e-mailed Dec. 13.
TODAY’S ARTICLES
Online Auction in Vegas Offers Five Travel Packages
Tomorrow Is the Last Day to …
In Vegas, Get Customized Data on Growing Inbound Markets
Five … Four … Three … Two … One … CONVENTION!
American Airlines and the NTA Travel Protection Plan
U.S. Sees Continued Increase in Spending from Abroad
Industry News and Updates
Online Auction in Vegas Offers Five Travel Packages
Tourism Cares is offering up an amazing collection of travel packages in an online
auction throughout Convention week. You can check them out here.
On Thursday, Dec. 1, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, we’ll start taking online bids for all five fantastic items. And then in Las Vegas, we’ll close out one item per day (except on Friday, when two items close):
- 1. New York, New York! (Bidding closes Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.)
2. Hawaii, the Big Island of Adventure (Bidding closes Wednesday at 1:45 p.m.)
3. Viva Las Vegas (Bidding closes Thursday at 1:30 p.m.)
4. Gettysburg Group Tour (Bidding closes Friday at 1:15 p.m.)
5. Four-night Fun Package in Pensacola (Bidding closes Friday at 4:30 p.m.)
You can make online bids for those five items whether you’re in Vegas or not. And wherever you are, you can also bid on your smartphone. To go ahead and register as a bidder now, follow these instructions:
- 1. Register to bid on your phone by visiting m.biddingforgood.com/tca
2. Click Menu, click Register.
3. Fill out the form with your information.
4. Click Update. Click Browse Items. You are now logged in to bid.
And there’s more! On that same Web site are 100-plus additional items, available for bid all next week in person during the silent auction at the Tourism Cares booth. Great items, great donors, great cause.
… Vote in the board election.
Each NTA member company gets one vote. Electronic ballots were distributed to the primary contact of each tour supplier, DMO and tour company member on Nov. 3. If your company hasn’t voted, you just need to use the link in that Nov. 3 e-mail. Or, if your company hasn’t voted and you are coming to Convention, you can vote on site
during your member category talk time. Category talk times are:
- Tour Suppliers: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 1:45 to 3 p.m.
- Tour Operators: Wednesday, Dec. 7, 4:30 to 5:45 p.m.
- DMOs: Thursday, Dec. 8, 9 to 10:15 a.m.
The voting will take place during the first 10 minutes of each talk time. After voting closes at Convention, the results will be tallied and the 2012 NTA Board will be introduced in Las Vegas.
… and Sign up to Volunteer at Convention.
- 2,500 registration bags to give out.
- 24 educational sessions to monitor and organize.
- 2,000 Convention Daily newsletters to distribute.
How do we do it all? With the help of our volunteers—the backbone of Convention!
Volunteering is a quick way to get involved in the Convention and get acquainted with your fellow members. So sign up today! We need you!
In Vegas, Get Customized Data on Growing Inbound Markets
With international travel into the United States up 5 percent in 2011, you might be wondering exactly where these visitors are coming from, what they want to do (and spend), and how you can tap into the market. NTA and Travel Market Insights can help.
NTA has teamed up with TMI to provide NTA members cost-effective access to the best inbound overseas consumer research available, including the following:
- Inbound Destinations Program is an annual customized report—destination-specific—for DMOs and businesses. Reports define overseas travel to your destination, including arrivals, spending and 32 visitor characteristics.
- Inbound Countries Program is being launched with the first report on China travel to the U.S. Highlights include a never-before reported breakdown of Chinese leisure and business travelers. Historical review and market shifts and trends.
- Travel Trade Barometer is a series of quarterly reports based on trade surveys, providing an accurate bookings review, a short-term forecast on bookings and travel demand, and insight on market conditions. Countries include China, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Mexico, with Brazil, Australia, S. Korea and India on the horizon.
Scott Johnson, president of Travel Market Insights, will be available at Convention ’11 to help you find answers. Johnson has provided DMOs and businesses with primary international visitor research for more than two decades. Through NTA’s partnership with TMI, NTA members can get critical metrics captured from consumer and trade surveys at a discount.
You can meet one-on-one in Las Vegas with Johnson and ask specific questions about specific markets. To lock in an appointment, e-mail Jason Terwilliger, NTA education and research manager. Give your first and second choice for a 15-minute appointment during the following times:
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 8, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
And for more information on Travel Market Insights, visit the Web site.
Five … Four … Three … Two … One … CONVENTION!
Can you believe it? Just five little days until Convention ’11! By now, if you’re registered for Convention, you should have received your Convention folder and information. If you haven’t received, here’s a digital version.
And, here’s the airport shuttle information, one more time: Free shuttles will run from the McCarran International Airport to Mandalay Bay on Sunday, Dec. 4, and Monday, Dec. 5, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To catch the NTA shuttles, head to the Zero Level of the airport (one level down from baggage claim) and look for Las Vegas CVA’s welcoming volunteers.
Have a great trip, and we’ll see you next week!
American Airlines and the NTA Travel Protection Plan
AMR Corp., the holding company for American Airlines, today filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. The airline, the nation’s third-largest carrier, said it will operate normal flight schedules and honor tickets as usual during the process, set for 18 months. Over the past decade, other major airline companies have filed for bankruptcy reorganization, including Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways.
While American has not ceased operations, NTA members who have insolvency coverage in an NTA Travel Protection Plan with Aon Affinity Berkely Travel may be interested in their coverage should future cancellations occur. If so, please see this letter from Aon Affinity Berkely Travel.
U.S. Sees Continued Increase in Spending from Abroad
International visitors spent 13 percent more on travel in the United States during September 2011, compared to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Travel-related services and products purchased by international visitors, considered an export, now account for more than 25 percent of all U.S. services exports.
For the year (January through September), international visitors have spent nearly US$113 billion, an increase of 13 percent over last year. The table below shows the percentage change each month for the past two years.
- European tourism figures are up, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Through August, 2011 has seen a 4.5 percent increase in international travel to Europe.
- An upgrade of Google’s mobile mapping service released today includes directions within airports, stores, malls, and transit centers in the United States and Japan.
- Using a theoretical Category-3 hurricane on the U.S. East Coast, the Global Business Travel Association has quantified the impact of major weather events on business travel.
Click here for the Tuesday archive.