Tuesday Newsletter – Sept. 29, 2009
September 29, 2009
Volume 29, Issue 39
Tuesday’s title sponsor is BusRates.com
Interested in advertising in Tuesday? E-mail Kelley Burchell at kelley.burchell@NTAstaff.com.
TODAY’S ARTICLES
Get Entered to Win an iPhone Using the Partner2Partner Program
Participate in CubaGO! on Sept. 30
Growing a Greener Globus: A Sustainable Case Study
What’s New in Travel News
Last Chance to Get Noticed by the Growing Inbound China Market
Summer Travels of Your NTA Leadership
October Courier Preview
Tap Into the $18-Billion, Faith-based Travel Market in Reno, Nevada
NTA Board Meets in Milwaukee
Tour Operators: Track and Win
Tickets Remain for the Jim Santini Appreciation Dinner
Motorcoach to be Featured in the Tourism Cares Live Auction
Support NTA Advocacy Efforts Through the 50/50 Fundraiser
Get Entered to Win an iPhone Using the Partner2Partner Program
NTA’s new Partner2Partner program is a lot like today’s new smart phones. You can reach contacts from anywhere at any time. Whether you’re working from your laptop in the airport or your office on a Saturday, you can hook up with NTA members and spark a business connection.
NTA is kicking off the Partner2Partner program in Reno, and to celebrate you have a chance to win a new smart phone. Use the P2P program between Nov. 14 and Dec. 15 and you will be entered to win your own Apple iPhone (you don’t have to attend the Convention to be entered to win).
This online business community, a free member benefit, can help you find new partners, send out requests, and advertise specials and incentives. Stop by NTA Central in Reno for a demonstration and get started using this dynamic program. P2P is another way NTA is helping you work smarter, not harder, which is critical in today’s marketplace.
Participate in CubaGO! on Sept. 30
CubaGO! is tomorrow and that means it’s time to kick organizing efforts into high gear. The Latin America Working Group and Washington Office on Latin America have created some tools that will help you create activities for tomorrow, September 30th, the national call-in day to end the travel ban on Cuba.
Around the country people have already started working to make this national call-in day a success. Pot-luck dinners with a "come early with your cell phone" segment, tables at grocery stores and local libraries to call members of Congress (House and Senate), rallies on college campuses and countless other events are already scheduled for CubaGO! If you haven’t already, please register your event. Events registered that mobilize over 50 callers will receive CubaGO! t-shirts.
Watch this message from Danny Glover asking YOU to call Congress to end the travel ban.
Be sure that any event you create is scheduled between 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (ET), when congressional offices are open, so that messages are delivered to an actual person. The purpose of your activities is to make phone calls to your members of Congress, in addition to having fun. For information on how to get involved, contact Cuba Policy Outreach Coordinator at the Washington Office on Latin America Angelica Salazar at +1.202.797.2171.
Growing a Greener Globus: A Sustainable Case Study
Like NTA, the Globus family of brands has identified sustainability as an important strategic goal and one that exemplifies the company’s core values. To achieve increased sustainability, Globus developed a strategic plan — known as "Growing a Greener Globus" — which entailed enlisting employees to form a Green Team. The company’s overall goal was (and still is) to produce measureable improvements toward increased sustainability in its internal and external business model.
The main phase of Globus’ plan focused on the changing internal metrics, and the Green Team developed a multi-pronged approach to support many initiatives. These efforts led to reducing solid waste and CO2 emissions by 50 percent, greening its physical facilities, using 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, reducing volume of printed materials by creating e-documents and brochures, sponsoring internal education forums and participating in outside events such as Earth Day and Bike to Work Day. In addition to reducing the company’s carbon footprint, these changes resulted in cost savings, increased efficiency and higher productivity.
The successful transformation of internal processes has led Globus to undertake the second phase of the plan and to direct resources toward enacting sustainable best practices throughout the organization to include the product. The company’s recent partnership with Sustainable Travel International will assist in achieving this important goal by utilizing many STI resources, such as its STEP Self-assessment Tool.
This is the first in a series of case studies on NTA member companies that have implemented sustainable tourism strategies. If you would like to have your company or destination mentioned in an upcoming article, click here to see the type of information you should e-mail to Sustainable Travel International President Brian Mullis, who is compiling these case studies.
Here’s a look at the research, statistics and news that came out this week that may apply to you and your business:
- The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that international visitors spent an estimated $9.6 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of July — nearly 24 percent less than visitors spent during July 2008. Click here to see more travel and tourism related spending data from OTTI
- The Senate recently named Jonathon Jarvis as the new Director of the National Park Service. Click here for the official news release
- At the UN General Assembly this week, UN Secretary-General ad interim Taleb Rifai reinforced the potential of sustainable travel and tourism, particularly for the world’s poorest countries. Click here to read about the initiative
- This year’s World Tourism Day Think Tank debates centered around the 2009 theme "Tourism – Celebrating Diversity." The Think Tank was the climax of the official World Tourism Day celebrations held in Accra, Ghana, and brought together leading international experts, tourism policy makers and specialized media. Click here for more information
- The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department unveiled a new travel initiative Sept. 28 called ECO — Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma — which promotes, educates and encourages sustainable travel in the state. Click here for more information
- Congratulations to member companies that received 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards from the National Park Service: Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts; Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Yellowstone National Park; Xanterra South Rim LLC, Grand Canyon National Park; and Zion National Park Green Team. Click here for the official news release
The links in this article are not continually monitored by NTA. Any bad links, expired pages, etc. are due to the constantly changing nature of Web sites.
Last Chance to Get Noticed by the Growing Inbound China Market
This year, NTA’s China Inbound Program brought more than 125,000 Chinese group leisure visitors to the United States. In fact, a recent NTA survey of operators in the China Inbound Program showed that the average number of visitors grew 76 percent in the first half of 2009 compared to the second half of 2008.
Don’t miss your chance to gain exposure to this lucrative market through the 2010 NTA China Group Leisure Directory. This publication is available to select Chinese outbound travel buyers at COTTM in April 2010, is mailed to 450 Chinese travel agents approved to do business with NTA tour operators and is promoted to the 90,000 individual Chinese travelers projected to attend CITM in November 2009. Printed copies and a digital version will be available. Display ads and advertorial positions also are available for suppliers and DMOs, while approved tour operators can upgrade their listing and/or purchase display advertising. The space deadline is Friday, Oct. 2.
To reserve your space, simply contact your account executive at 800.682.8886, ext. 4241 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.226.4241.
Summer Travels of Your NTA Leadership
NTA leaders, including Chairman and CEO Michele Michalewicz, CTP, and President Lisa Simon, CTP, have been on the road the past four months sharing the NTA story and promoting the association. Here’s a look at the places NTA members have been represented recently:
- Travel Alliance Partners, LLC. TAP DANCE in Rapid City, South Dakota
- American Society of Travel Agents Research Announcement in New York City, New York
- Tourism Cares Board Meeting in San Francisco, California
- Sister Cities International Convention in Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Indian Association of Tour Operators Conference in Bangalore, India
- Student Youth Travel Association Conference in Norfolk, Virginia
- Future NTA Event promotion in Seville, Spain
- National Volunteer Day with Tourism Cares in Washington, D.C.
- THETRADESHOW in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Media trip on the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act in New York City, New York
- Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart in Hangzhou, China
- 2009 U.S. Africa Business Summit, Washington, D.C.
The October issue of Courier is your guide to the 2009 NTA Convention, which comes up Nov. 14-18 in Reno, Nevada. The Convention section opens with a warm welcome from Chair Suzanne Slavitter, CTP, then jumps right in to the details about the Tour & Travel Exchange, what’s new at Convention ’09, the co-location with WRTA’s Expo, seminars and the social events. It also includes a detailed look at the Reno area and an essay from NTA Past Chairman and CEO Ann Thomas, CTP, of Western Discovery LLC on what makes Reno and the state of Nevada great. Besides the Convention coverage, the October issue includes profiles of all the Board of Directors candidates and destination stories on Spain, the U.S. Great Plains states, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
UPCOMING DEADLINES:
January Issue – Ad Space: Oct. 28; Editorial: PAST
Sightseeing Cruises; Cruise Ships; Great Lakes Loop (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Ontario and Wisconsin); British Isles and Ireland; Alaska; California; Nevada; Oregon; Washington.
February Issue – Ad Space: Nov. 25; Editorial: Nov. 2
Casinos and Gaming; Atlantic Coast (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia); Caribbean; Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; British Columbia; Idaho; Montana; North Dakota; South Dakota; Wyoming.
March Issue – Ad Space: Jan. 4; Editorial: Dec. 4
2010 Tour Operator Spring Meet Issue; Golf Resorts and Destinations; Toronto and Niagara Region (New York and Canada); Branson; Africa; Arizona; Colorado; New Mexico; Utah.
The Berkely Group (TPP) — Callaway Gardens — EIS-European Incoming Services — Empire State Building Observatory — John G. Shedd Aquarium — Metropolis at Metrotown — NY SKYRIDE — Planet Hollywood International — Tulalip Resort Casino and Spa — Yankee Candle Company
Click here to see the 2009 Editorial Calendar. Also, the 2010 Editorial Calendar is available if you click here.
Tap Into the $18-Billion, Faith-based Travel Market in Reno, Nevada
NTA tour operators have the unique opportunity to tap into a growing and lucrative market this year in Reno. With the co-location of NTA’s Convention ’09 with the World Religious Travel Association’s Expo, tour operators can enhance their market share and grow their faith-based product line.
WRTA expects about 100 exhibitors representing a variety of travel companies and destinations specializing in faith-based travel to be in Reno for this one-of-a-kind trade show. Tour operators can gain access to the connections needed to grow a faith-based business by including their company on the list of exhibitors.
Don’t miss this opportunity to increase exposure and develop new faith-based products by attending and exhibiting at WRTA’s Expo, Nov. 14-16, in Reno. For more information contact WRTA or call 888.484.4678, ext. 4402 (U.S. and Canada).
The NTA Board of Directors met August 22 and 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The primary purpose of the meeting was to review the draft of the association’s 2010 budget. The board also reviewed ideas to update NTA’s Tour Operator Spring Meet, essentially creating a new event. To read more, please see the board update.
NTA thanks the Greater Milwaukee CVB and the Ambassador Hotel for their generosity in hosting the board during its meeting and stay in Milwaukee. NTA also thanks the Milwaukee Public Museum, which hosted the Milwaukee Road Show.
Now, more than ever, NTA’s DMO members need tracking data to ensure that they are available to provide valuable services and information to all tour operators. NTA makes it easy through its online ROI/Tracking E-mail System. Operators can log on, select the member DMOs in areas they just visited and send their information. It’s really that easy.
To add a little fun, any operator who sends a tracking e-mail through the system between now and Oct. 31 will be eligible to win an up-front, reserved seat at the Theatre Direct Broadway.com/groups luncheon during Convention ’09 in Reno, Nevada. Operators receive an entry into the drawing each time they send an e-mail, so the more they help out their DMO colleagues, the more chances they’ll have to be near the stage for all of the fun and color of Broadway at this popular Convention event.
For questions about NTA’s ROI/Tracking E-mail System, contact NTA Vice President of Marketing Lisa Thompson. Winners will be announced in the Nov. 3 issue of Tuesday.
Tickets Remain for the Jim Santini Appreciation Dinner
Join your NTA friends and colleagues for a celebration of the NTA service of the Honorable Jim Santini. The James D. Santini Appreciation Dinner will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Reno Ballroom, located at 401 North Center Street in Reno, Nevada.
Santini, a four-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1975-83), was one of the founders (and a chairman) of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus.
Current and past members of Congress, noted industry representatives and current and past NTA leaders will be attending this tribute to Santini’s more than 25 years of service to the association. Tickets are US$50 and seating is limited. For information on how you can purchase tickets to this unique event, contact Ken Goode at 800.682.8886, ext.4284 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.266.4284.
Donations given at the James D. Santini Appreciation Dinner will benefit the Government Issues Fund and TourPAC.
Motorcoach to be Featured in the Tourism Cares Live Auction
Those who attended the NTA Convention in Pittsburgh last year will remember the beautiful motorcoach donated by Prevost for the Tourism Cares Live Auction. Thanks to Prevost’s generosity, there will be another brand new motorcoach in the auction this year.
The Prevost X3-45, the ultimate intercity motorcoach, focuses on passenger comfort, embraces elements critical to drivers and operators, and continues Prevost’s dedication to safety and the environment. New Prevost coaches produce 55 percent less nitrogen oxide and 90 percent less soot and ash than older models, making a difference and reminding us all to be socially responsible travelers.
To view this and other items and packages up for bid at this year’s Live Auction, visit the Tourism Cares Web site.
Support NTA Advocacy Efforts Through the 50/50 Fundraiser
Show your support for NTA Government Relations at the 50/50 Fundraiser and you can win BIG money! Tickets are US$20 each or 3 for US$50. Half of the money raised will support NTA advocacy funds and the other half is added to a prize pot that will be awarded to one lucky winner. The more tickets that are sold, the more money you can win.
Tickets will be available at the Government Relations booth in Reno at Convention ’09. Buy one for yourself or buy them with friends. Proceeds from the 50/50 Fundraiser benefit the Government Issues Fund and TourPAC. Join the fun and support a good cause.