Your Membership Could Be Paid for. Here’s How. | Series of Free Webinars Starts Today!
September 13, 2011
Interested in advertising in Tuesday? E-mail Kami Risk.
TODAY’S ARTICLES
Your Membership Could Be Paid for. Here’s How.
Series of Free Webinars Starts Today!
Tour Operators: How to Save on Your Insurance
Deadline Approaching for Nominations to NTA Board
International Visits to U.S. Rose during First Half of 2011
Washington Tourism Alliance Taps NTA Members for Leadership
Q: What do Best Western International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism Have in Common?
Survey Shows Travel Uptick for Remainder of 2011
Industry News and Updates
Your Membership Could Be Paid for. Here’s How.
"Thanks to the NTA Corporate Partner programs, my NTA membership doesn’t cost a thing. I save so much through the programs like Fed Ex, that I reap more from my member benefits than what I’m paying in dues. It definitely is a win-win!"
—Donna Cappa, Tulalip Resort Casino & Spa
Being a member of NTA gets you valuable, exclusive discounts from NTA Corporate Partners on payroll and credit card processing, insurance, shipping, office supplies and more. Be sure you’re taking advantage of these member benefits*:
Payroll Processing
ADP (for U.S. members only) offers:
- A 20 percent discount on payroll processing costs
- FREE month of payroll processing services
- Waived one-time setup fee
Insurance
Aon Affinity Berkely Travel offers:
- NTA tour operators can receive up to 35 percent compensation on Travel Protection Plan sales.
- NTA tour operator members may qualify for premium credits as high as 15 percent off already low NTA member rates on insurance.
Credit Card Processing
Capital One offers:
- No set-up or underwriting fees
- Low Visa/MasterCard discount rates
- Authorization for Discover, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and major debit brands
- Ability to utilize your existing equipment and interface with major POS systems
- No annual or compliance fees
- 24-hour comprehensive terminal support
Shipping
(U.S. members participating in the FedEx Corporate Partner program save an average of $513 a year on shipping!)
FedEx (for U.S. members only) offers:
- Up to 26 percent off select FedEx Express® U.S. services
- Up to 20 percent off select FedEx Express international services
- Up to 12 percent off select FedEx Ground® services
- Up to 10 percent off select FedEx Home Delivery® services
Office Supplies
Staples offers:
- Discounts on offices supplies
- Multiple ordering channels: online, fax or phone
- A 10 percent credit on copy services provided at our 1,100 retail stores located throughout the United States
- Computer and technology supplies, furniture and more
U.S. Members: Learn more about Staples
Canadian Members: Learn more about Staples
*Not all benefits/discounts are available for all members. Please review the information and disclaimers for each partner. These discounts are offered through NTA Corporate Partners, not NTA.
Series of Free Webinars Starts Today!
It’ll be easier to stay informed this fall as NTA rolls out a series of free Webinars—beginning today. Here’s the lineup so you can mark your calendars:
Convention Insider Webinar (today!)
Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m. ET: This online seminar will help first-time attendees make the most of Convention ’11. Even if you’ve attended Convention, this session will be a useful refresher course. Topics will include:
- Arranging your business appointment requests
- Understanding the different business appointment sessions in Vegas
- Knowing your role in the Destination Pavilion
- Working the Tour & Travel Exchange and open-floor format
- Maximizing educational opportunities and social networking events
If you have questions or need assistance signing up for the Webinar (or just about Convention in general!), call 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.264.6540.
Convention Insider Webinar (repeat)
Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. ET: In case you miss today’s premier showing, you can catch the Webinar next week. Just click here to register. The Webinar will also be posted online in early October. Check the First-Timers Program page of the NTA Convention ’11 Web site.
Sustainable Tourism 201: Putting Pencil to Paper
Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m. ET: This one-hour Webinar presented by Sustainable Travel International is geared to travel professionals who want to learn how to integrate sustainable tourism best practices into their existing operations. You’ll learn how to create positive triple-bottom-line results for your business, employees and community. Click here to sign up.
China: topic TBA—mark the date!
Tuesday, Oct. 11
China: topic TBA—mark the date!
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Destination Stewardship: An Innovative Approach to Sustainable Tourism Development
Thursday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. ET: Destination Stewardship benefits local communities and the natural environment while enhancing economic viability. The focus of this STI session will be on strategies to attract new visitors while protecting destinations; it will include carbon neutral tourism programs, marketing plans and capacity building. Click here to sign up.
Tour Operators: How to Save on Your Insurance
Berkely, an NTA Corporate Partner, will give you up to a 5 percent premium credit toward your next annual policy renewal* if you attend the Berkely Risk Management session at Convention ’11 in Las Vegas.
You’ll save money while you learn valuable information for your business, like:
- how to avoid or minimize liability claims using risk management techniques
- an action plan for preparing for a lawsuit
- how to build a crisis management plan into your business
- information and updates on tour operator claims
The Berkely Risk Management session is Monday, Dec. 5. Register today for Convention to get your 5 percent.
*Up to a 5 percent credit will be applied each year for the next two annual policy renewals.
(Subject to maximum credits allowed by each state.)
Deadline Approaching for Nominations to NTA Board
If you’d like to serve on the NTA Board of Directors, the Nominating Committee is now accepting applications from tour operators, tour suppliers and destination representatives. (For the benefits of serving on nonprofit boards, see this article.) Please contact Katey Pease to receive an application and for more details. Applications are due Sept. 27.
Here’s a step-by-step look at NTA’s election process:
1. The Nominating Committee is now accepting applications for the following positions:
- secretary/treasurer (tour operator) (Executive Committee)
- vice chairman (tour operator) (Executive Committee)
- three tour operator director positions (two-year terms)
- one supplier director position (two-year term)
- one DMO director position (two-year term)
2. After vetting the applications for qualifications, geographic representation and business type, the Nominating Committee will nominate one candidate per position.
3. The nominations will be announced in October.
4. Members not nominated can complete an application by Oct. 25 to run "from the floor" and be placed on the ballot.
5. Elections open prior to Convention.
6. "Meet the Candidates" sessions will occur both prior to Convention and on-site in Las Vegas.
Elections will close at Convention, and the 2012 NTA Board will be introduced in Las Vegas.
International Visits to U.S. Rose during First Half of 2011
The United States saw an increase in international visitors during the first half of the year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Through June, a total of 28.6 million travelers visited the U.S., a 5 percent increase over the same period in 2010.
Eight of the top 10 countries that sent visitors to the U.S. posted an increase, with a slight decline (1 percent) from Mexico and an expected dip from earthquake-stricken Japan (7 percent). Here’s the entire top 10:
|
Country of residence |
Change YTD |
|
Canada |
+6% |
|
Mexico |
-1% |
|
United Kingdom |
+3% |
|
Japan |
-7% |
|
Germany |
+7% |
|
Brazil |
+28% |
|
France |
+21% |
|
South Korea |
+8% |
|
Australia |
+23% |
|
China |
+32% |
For more details, including visitation figures for June, see the Department of Commerce release.
Washington Tourism Alliance Taps NTA Members for Leadership
The Washington Tourism Alliance, formed this spring in anticipation of the June 30 closure of the Washington State Tourism office, has selected and elected leaders. Last month, Suzanne Fletcher became the group’s executive director, and this month the WTA charter board of directors elected two NTA members as leaders: Tammy Blount, president and CEO of the Tacoma Regional CVB, is the new WTA chair and Kevin Clark, president and CEO of Argosy Cruises, serves as vice chair.
The board is comprised of 20 tourism professionals from industry segments that include lodging, destination marketing, attractions, restaurants and transportation. Along with Fletcher, their task is to create a strategic statewide destination marketing plan. Fletcher has scheduled nearly a dozen visits throughout the state to gather ideas and information for the grassroots group. For more information, visit the group’s Web site.
Q: What do Best Western International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism Have in Common?
A: Sponsorship at NTA’s Convention.
They, along with these companies, see the huge value in sponsoring Convention ’11. Sponsoring at any investment level qualifies you for great benefits, sponsor promotions and a heightened presence among the crowd that will be in Las Vegas! Awesome sponsorships are available, including event co-sponsorships, tangible items that will be given directly to the buyers, and refreshments!
Sponsor promotions are now in full swing, so contact Melisa-Beth Rooke today by e-mail or phone (+1.859.264.6561) to talk Convention sponsorships and have your name added to the list! Additional details can be found here.
Survey Shows Travel Uptick for Remainder of 2011
A Travel Leaders survey shows an increase in bookings so far in 2011, with solid optimism for the rest of the year. In the group’s Fall Travel Trends Survey, conducted in August, more than half (55 percent) of 443 Travel Leaders owners, managers and travel agents throughout the United States said their bookings were higher than a year ago, with nearly a quarter (24 percent) saying they’re about the same. Some 71 percent reported optimism over business for the remainder of 2011.
When asked to name the top U.S. destinations booked for the remainder of the year, the two cities on top are the sites of NTA’s next conventions:
-
Las Vegas
- Orlando
- Honolulu
- New York City
- Maui, Hawaii
In the top international destinations, London makes a strong showing, moving up three spots from 2010:
- Caribbean cruises
- Cancun, Mexico
- London
- Rome
- European (Mediterranean) cruises
For more rankings and information, see the full story.
- San Francisco, Detroit and Tampa/St. Petersburg are expected to finish the year with the strongest hotel performance among the top 25 U.S. markets.
- Montreal, London and Chicago were rated as cities with the least "commuter pain," measured by hours spent in traffic, price of gas and stress levels. Click here to see the world’s worst.
- Martin Craigs, longtime aviation industry specialist, will become CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association on October 31.
- Oct. 16 is the new dedication date for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the first being washed out by Hurricane Irene.
Click here for the Tuesday archive.