Tuesday Newsletter – Dec. 9, 2008
December 9, 2008
Volume 28, Issue 48
Tuesday’s title sponsor is the Austrian Tourism Office 
Interested in advertising in Tuesday? E-mail Kelley Burchell at kelley.burchell@NTAstaff.com.
TODAY’S ARTICLES
First Webinar on Modified Convention Format is Dec. 18
Bylaw Vote Coming Soon
Remembering Beverly Garland
New Rules for International Travelers Take Effect Jan. 12, 2009
Mark Your Calendars to Attend NTA’s 2009 Grassroots Symposium
NTA-IGLTA Partnership Announced
Join NTA on Facebook
December Courier is Online
Only One Day Remains to Reserve Space in the NTA Trip Planner
Looking for a Fam?
NTA Job Center: Experience Columbus
First Webinar on Modified Convention Format is Dec. 18
NTA will be conducting a pair of Webinars to seek input from members about the format modification for future Annual Conventions that was discussed in Pittsburgh during the Business Meeting Luncheon. The session is targeted toward members who didn’t attend Convention, but is open to anyone wishing to hear more about what was announced.
The first Webinar will take place Thursday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. (ET) and the second one isn’t until Jan. 20, also at 2 p.m. (ET). Webinar participants will hear the details about the Convention changes as presented to the delegates during the luncheon. Both Webinars will include time for Q&A.
Additional details on how to dial in to take part in the Webinars will be available later this week at NTAonline.com. If you would like to give input now, please log on to the member forums.
During the last three meetings of the NTA Board of Directors, members discussed a proposal that would necessitate a bylaw change. The issue, which would allow nonprofit organizations to share one tour supplier membership, would go into effect if passed by a two-thirds majority of tour operators in the upcoming vote.
The Member Growth Committee recommended that NTA explore the logistics of offering arts organizations, such as symphonies, operas, ballets, museums and dance companies, the ability to combine funding and join as a shared entity. Article III, Section 3 of the current NTA bylaws prohibits separate legal entities from sharing a membership. In addition to the bylaw vote on this issue, minor grammatical and language cleanup of the bylaws also will be conducted.
Information on the bylaw vote will be disseminated electronically or via a paper ballot (for those tour operators without a working email address). The voting period will be no less than 30 days from the dissemination of bylaw information.
Beverly Garland, who served nearly 20 years as NTA’s celebrity spokesperson and whose long and varied acting career began in the 1950s, passed away Friday at her Hollywood Hills, California, home at the age of 82.
Despite taking on more dramatic roles early in her career, which included an Emmy nomination in 1955 for her performance as a leukemia patient in the pilot of the medical drama "Medic," Garland was best known as Fred MacMurray’s second wife in the TV comedy "My Three Sons." Later TV roles included parts in "Remington Steele" and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" in the 1980s and "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" in the ’90s. More recently she appeared on the long-running ABC soap opera, "Port Charles."
Garland and her husband, Fillmore Crank, built Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn in North Hollywood in 1972 and she remained active in running the property, which joined NTA as a tour supplier member in 1975. When the association was looking to help increase the profile of group travel, the board of directors recruited Garland in 1980 to serve as its spokesperson, a role in which she thrived for nearly 20 years.
Information on a memorial service is not available yet, although anyone wishing to write a note can visit an online guest book. Garland’s bio appears on her hotel’s Web page.
New Rules for International Travelers Take Effect Jan. 12, 2009
International travelers coming to the United States from the 34 nations that are part of the Visa Waiver Program face enhanced security requirements beginning Jan. 12, 2009, through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s electronic system for travel authorization (ESTA) program.
Travelers from the VWP countries will need to fill out the ESTA online form and receive advanced authorization prior to coming to the United States. DHS officials will then review the information and either approve or deny the passenger’s entry. The form, which asks for the biographical information typically provided via the I-94W paper form that guests currently fill out upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry, should be submitted as far in advance as possible to allow proper review and response time.
Each ESTA will be valid for a period of two years and will allow visitors unlimited travel to the United States during that timeframe. Approval will not be granted to travelers holding a passport that expires within six months of when they apply for an ESTA.
Fact sheets with more information on the initiative have been prepared in the following nine languages – English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish and Portuguese – and are available if you click here. Also, an FAQ document is available in English.
Mark Your Calendars to Attend NTA’s 2009 Grassroots Symposium
NTA’s Grassroots Symposium has always been a place where the importance of packaged travel is put in front of U.S. elected leaders. The 2009 Symposium, scheduled for Feb. 25-27, holds an even larger chance to affect change, since the United States will usher in a new administration in the White House along with 57 new Congressional leaders next month.
This year’s Grassroots Symposium is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this and put travel on the agenda. That’s also the reason for the move to February – your association wants to make sure that your voice is heard loud and clear as the new administration begins its work.
By attending the Grassroots Symposium you can sit in on panel discussions with Congressional and travel leaders on the industry topics that affect your daily business and get training on how to schedule and conduct successful visits to voice your opinion on local issues with your state representatives in Congress. The symposium also is a good networking event where you can learn more from your NTA leaders and colleagues about legislation affecting the travel and tourism world.
For more information and a detailed schedule, visit the Grassroots Symposium Web site or contact NTA Government Relations Manager Christy Cleveland. Registration for the event, available on the site, is only $95 and you’ll need your NTA individual ID, which was on the e-mail you received with today’s Tuesday headlines.
NTA-IGLTA Partnership Announced
NTA is proud to announce a cooperative agreement with the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association that will bring the two organizations together on a variety of marketing, education and research opportunities. Under the new agreement, IGLTA and NTA will collaborate on research initiatives that will benefit both associations and their members.
"NTA believes strongly in bringing the industry together for the better of travel and tourism, as well as for increasing business for our members," said NTA Chairman and CEO Michele Michalewicz, CTP. "This new agreement will open new doors for NTA members by connecting them with the progressive IGLTA membership."
Also built into the agreement are reciprocal visibility and educational opportunities at each association’s events. IGLTA’s 26th Annual Convention will be held May 7-10, 2009, at the Hilton Toronto in downtown Toronto. Last year’s conference in Las Vegas drew record attendance, as it brought together nearly 500 travel industry professionals and media from 25 countries.
NTA is now on Facebook, one of the major social networking Web sites that helps you stay connected with friends and colleagues. If you haven’t already done so, log on and sign up for Facebook, then join the NTA group.
NTA will post dates and information on upcoming events, as well as share photos from recent meetings like the NTA Convention on its page. And if you’ve got photos to share from Pittsburgh, videos from the road or personal updates, be sure to upload them on the NTA page.
Ready to read about all the exciting things that happened at the recently completed NTA Annual Convention? The December issue of Courier, which includes full coverage of the event – from the educational seminars to the Destination Pavilion, Exchange appointments, entertainment and social functions – is now available online.
Beside including the same content as the printed edition, the digital version of NTA’s monthly magazine contains expanded functions such as a detailed key word search engine. There is an option allowing you to download a PDF of the issue, a section including archives of past issues of Courier and pull-down menus showing the table of contents and a list of advertisers. Additionally, all advertisements are linked to company Web sites.
Only One Day Remains to Reserve Space in the NTA Trip Planner
There is only one more day to reserve your space in NTA’s Trip Planner for student travel. In February 2009, the publication will be sent to more than 24,000 tourism professionals, including student travel planners and all NTA tour operators. Feature stories in the Trip Planner will cover theaters, museums, performance events, attractions, Washington D.C., and sightseeing cruises and rail excursions.
Don’t miss your chance to advertise in this cost-effective resource that targets the student market. Listings in the publication are available to tour operators for only $250, and suppliers and DMOs can take advantage of display advertising opportunities. Call 800.682.8886, ext, 4241 (U.S. and Canada) or 859.226.4241 to reserve your space today.
NTA knows that Fam tours offer a great way for tour operators to learn more about a destination for new product development. That’s why your association maintains a special page on its Web site where NTA tour supplier and DMO members can post Fam information.
The list for 2009 includes trips to Indiana’s Amish Country, Illinois’ Lincoln sites and a yachting Fam to Greece. Operators should check this site often as new listings are posted as they come in.
If you’d like to add your Fam to the site, please e-mail the following information to fams@NTAstaff.com:
- Fam destination
- Dates of the trip
- Name of the sponsoring organization
- Contact person’s e-mail address
- Web link where more information is available
NTA Job Center: Experience Columbus
Position Available – Senior Tourism Sales Manager
Position Summary: The Senior Tourism Sales Manager promotes and sells Columbus as a leisure destination for group tours to tour operators, bus companies and wholesalers; achieves specific individual and team sales quotas; works on product development in response to current industry trends.
Qualifications: Minimum of five years experience in hotel or convention bureau sales preferred; sales account management experience; degree from an accredited institution in hospitality management or marketing preferred. Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to handle multiple projects; well organized; detail oriented, excellent customer service skills; professional and personable manner. Ability to travel, attend local, regional, national events on evenings and/or weekends.
Submit your resume and cover letter to:
Vice President, Finance & Administration
Experience Columbus
277 W. Nationwide Blvd., Suite 125
Columbus, OH 43215
614.222.6143 (fax)
Resumes@ExperienceColumbus.com