Tuesday Newsletter – Feb. 16, 2010
February 16, 2010
Volume 30, Issue 7
Interested in advertising in Tuesday? E-mail Kelley Burchell at kelley.burchell@NTAstaff.com.
TODAY’S ARTICLES
MONTAGE Memo 9: Visit/Visitar Huelva, Jerez and Cadiz
The U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit Just Became More Affordable
NTA Leadership Discusses Business Opportunities, Convention Updates
Neil Amrine Recieves James D. Santini Award at Begich Breakfast
Sen. Begich Discusses Small Biz Loans, Consumer Confidence
Special Rate for NTA Members at Travel Professionals of Color Conference
Stampede into Calgary with the Calgary Horsepower PDT
Show your Support for NTA—Become a Fan on Facebook!
Looking to Get Some Free Exposure in Courier?
Where Will Tourism Cares be in 2010?
MONTAGE Memo #9: Visit/Visitar Huelva, Jerez and Cadiz
As you book your MONTAGE travel to and from Seville through NTA’s transportation discounts, extend your stay for a post-MONTAGE Product Development Trip, April 18-20. This tour highlights the Western Andalucia region including Huelva, Jerez and Cadiz and all the historical treasures this region has to offer.
Spend Sunday through Tuesday walking along the white-sand beaches of Spain’s Mediterranean coast, bird-watching at the Parque Natural de Doñana and tasting wine in the Andalusian countryside.
For details on the post-MONTAGE PDT, read MONTAGE Chair Larry Friedman’s blog. Hurry and reserve your space! The pre-MONTAGE PDT is already sold out.
For more about how MONTAGE can expand your business, visit the MONTAGE Web site. To get the most exposure at MONTAGE, take advantage of sponsorship opportunities to receive a variety of benefits including complimentary registration fees and promotions before, during and after the event. Contact NTA Sponsorship Manager Melisa-Beth Rooke at 800.662.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.219.3549 to reserve your sponsorship today!
No restrictions on attendance. No Boundaries to Selling. That’s MONTAGE. Register today.
The U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit Just Became More Affordable 
The rates for the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit, March 24-26 in Cancun, Mexico, have been dropped to make this unique opportunity accessible to as many travel professionals as possible.
- NTA members with revenues over US$10 million/yr may attend the symposium and take private appointments with Cuban officials and travel specialists for US$2450
- NTA members with revenues over US$10 million/yr may attend without appointments for US$1500.
- All members with revenues less than US$10 million/yr may attend and take private appointments for US$1500
- All members with revenues less than US$10 million/yr may attend without appointments for US$1050
Click here for complete event details and to register.
Attendees of the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit will be first in line to develop product when travel to Cuba is open to the United States. They will have the contacts and the information to service the estimated one million U.S. travelers, not including cruise passengers, who want to travel to Cuba within the first year it is available.
Sponsor at the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit and you can have direct access to Cuban travel officials, including a private dinner for sponsors and Cuban officials on the opening night of the Summit. Click here to see what sponsorships are available.
Follow the U.S.-Cuba Travel Summit on Twitter to support this issue and ask any questions you may have about the event.
NTA Leadership Discusses Business Opportunities, Convention Updates
Members of NTA’s Leadership Team met in Washington, D.C., Feb, 6 and 7 for the association’s first meetings of the year. Despite a snow storm which kept nearly two dozen members from making the trip, several committees met to discuss the NTA Convention, new member business opportunities and U.S. inbound business from China.
The members who were able to travel to D.C. participated in one of four meetings: the Partnering Task Force, the Identity Task Force, the Meetings and Events Committee and the China Inbound Task Force. Follow-up conference call meetings with these groups, as well as with all the other committees and task forces unable to meet, will be held in the coming weeks. Following the meetings, NTA will post online discussion updates.
NTA’s Leadership Team comprises seven committees and task forces that draw from the perspective and experience of more than 50 members from nine countries. The member groupings serve as advisors for the NTA Board of Directors, which is also a part of the Leadership Team.
During the association’s time in D.C., NTA members participated in the first day of what was to be a three-day Grassroots Symposium. To prepare for meetings with more than 100 congressional leaders and their staffers-which had to be cancelled due to the subsequent shutdown of the U.S. federal government-NTA presented issues briefings from former Congressman Jon Porter, American Recreation Coalition President and CEO Derrick Crandall and NTA Public Affairs Advocate Steve Richer, CTP, among others. These informative sessions gave attendees valuable insight to such topics as federal funding for national parks, public lands and destinations in general; the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act; the imminent passage of the Travel Promotion Act and improving entry and exit procedures for international visitors.
NTA thanks Golden Touch Transportation, The Liaison Capitol Hill, Ford’s Theatre, Madame Tussauds, Guide Service of Washington, New World Tours, Newseum, The Madison, a Loews Hotel, Sports Leisure Vacations, Capitol Visitors Center and the Dominican Republic Tourism Board for sponsoring our D.C. activities.
Neil Amrine Recieves James D. Santini Award at Begich Breakfast 
Long-time NTA member and government advocacy supporter Neil Amrine of Guide Service of Washington Inc. received the first-ever James D. Santini award at a breakfast featuring Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) on Feb. 9.
Neil served as the Government Relations Committee chair in 2009 and was quick to come to the aid of NTA’s Government Relations team throughout the year. He was always willing to provide a quote or testimony and worked to raise money for the association’s advocacy efforts.
In tribute to the Honorable Jim Santini, NTA’s longtime legislative counsel, the James D. Santini Award was created to recognize individuals who contribute time and energy to make grassroots work their business,. This was the first such award and the recipient was decided by the 2010 NTA Board of Directors.
CAPTION: Neil Amrine, left, received the James D. Santini Award at a breakfast on Feb 9. Mark Begich (D-AK), right, was the featured speaker that morning.
Sen. Begich Discusses Small Biz Loans, Consumer Confidence
During a Feb. 9 meeting with NTA members, Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) gave his perspective on the importance of small business loans, consumer confidence and the passage of the Travel Promotion Act. He also shared top priorities for the Senate.
Despite the blizzard that hit Washington, D.C., and shut down the federal government for several days, Sen. Begich kept a commitment to meet with NTA members during the Grassroots Symposium. The Alaskan senator talked about the small business loans package, noting that it would be "very important for many NTA members." He said the administration and Senate were working on adjustments such as eliminating front-end costs for these loans. Sen. Begich also said he closely watches consumer confidence and hopes that the U.S. will see some stabilization in the soft economy in the second and third quarters.
On the Travel Promotion Act, he does think it will pass and sees the legislation as a net positive for the U.S. economy. Related to senatorial top priorities, Sen. Begich outlined the jobs agenda, managing the deficit and energy.
Special Rate for NTA Members at Travel Professionals of Color Conference
NTA’s strategic partner, Travel Professionals of Color, is extending a special offer to NTA members to attend their 2010 Conference and Trade Show, April 22-25, Nassau, Bahamas. The TPOC Conference is a great way for NTA members to be front-and-center with top African-American travel agents.
NTA members can register one delegate for US$199, a $100 savings over the regular registration rate. A second delegate from the same company can register for only US$159. Interested members may e-mail Betty Jones at TPOC to register.
Stampede into Calgary with the Calgary Horsepower PDT
Calgary’s cowboy culture and the city’s signature event, the Calgary Stampede, are the focus of the Calgary Horsepower Product Development Trip, July 16-21, hosted by Tourism Calgary.
Guests will see Chuckwagon Races, enjoy a Stampede Park dinner and take part in a behind-the-scenes tour and interactive session with Pro Rodeo athletes. The tour includes a session at a Rocky Mountain Ropes Course and a cowboy adventure at the Rafter Six Ranch, as well as stops at other area museums and attractions.
Tour companies that have included Calgary in the past (or are planning to in the next two years) may send one person. Participants are responsible for their own airfare to Calgary as well as a US$75 registration fee. Deadline to register for this PDT is May 28. Visit NTA online for a detailed itinerary and registration form. Questions can be directed to Lisa Thompson in NTA’s marketing department.
Show your Support for NTA—Become a Fan on Facebook!
Become a fan of NTA on Facebook and get up-to-the-minute information from Headquarters, start conversations on the discussion board, upload photos, and connect, and re-connect, with other NTA members.
NTA also has a LinkedIn page. Join our group to get updates from Headquarters and participate in member discussions.
See you online!
Looking to Get Some Free Exposure in Courier?
Each issue of NTA’s Courier magazine includes profiles on association members in the Meet the Member section, and your company could be featured in one of these stories in an upcoming edition. The articles are about 250 words in length and include a photo of the company contact—click here to see the sample profiles from a recent issue.
To submit your company’s name for possible inclusion in the Meet the Member section, e-mail Courier Senior Writer Pat Henderson. If you are chosen for an upcoming issue, you will be contacted by a Courier staff member and asked to answer a few questions to help them write the article on your company.
Where Will Tourism Cares be in 2010? 
Tourism Cares is NTA’s official philanthropy. To volunteer with Tourism Cares or learn more about their activities, please visit their Web site. See below for the Tourism Cares Schedule for 2010.
Silent Auction at the New York Times Travel Show—February 26-28, Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC. Visit the Tourism Cares Web site to find out how to donate a silent auction item.
Travel South Showcase—April 10-14, Birmingham, Alabama
National Tour Association MONTAGE—April 14-17, Seville, Spain. Click here to register to attend.
Tourism Cares for America Volunteer Project—June 4, Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, California. Click here to find out how to volunteer.
Tourism Cares Volunteer Day—September, day TBD, National Mall, Washington, DC. More information to come.
THE TRADE SHOW—September 12-14, Orlando, Florida
NTA Annual Convention—November 13-17, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Registration opens April 6.