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Yes, Canadians are well known for their polite, calm and relatively happy demeanor. We love beer, maple syrup, hockey and all things that come in red. What you may not know is that we are all just a little bit wild...

Here is Jim Warren, NTA board member and ex-pat Canadian, lightening up a long board meeting by bringing some wild Canadianism to the table. The song "Born to the Wild" by Canadian band SteppenWolf is a main stay at Canadian parties and bars, especially after 2 am. Can't help but sing along, right Cathy? It has been said that this song introduced the genre of heavy metal by the lyric "heavy metal thunder" in the second verse, the first time the term was used in rock music. Does this take you back to your '60s revolt days Jim??!

So when you get to Montreal in November, sure, we will wear red and we are always polite and we will definitely chat you up about hockey. But stay up a little late and you are going to see the wild side. Guaranteed.

Appréciez votre été!

Dawn Rueckl
2010 NTA Convention Chair

We are all aware of the value of networking to build relationships, but no story says it better than Bob Hofmann of Broadway Inbound in New York:

Because of a chance meeting in the Research Center, Bob not only made some new industry friends but was also introduced to partners that have been bringing him business for almost 20 years. Not so remarkable when you realize that people do business with people they like, and you are never going to get to know if they will like you unless you are there to meet them.

So when you are in Montréal, arrive early, attend every event and stay til the last day. You never know when a new 20 year business relationship is going to begin.

Appréciez votre été!

Dawn Rueckl
2010 NTA Convention Chair

One of the many facets to our Convention is sponsorships. Being a Missouri delegate I was introduced to a verv special one as I attended my first fall Convention in Atlantic City in 1993. That tradition began in 1982 and is a breakfast sponsorship known as Wake Up to Missouri. This wonderfully conceived marketing idea provided a hot breakfast served via room service to delegates and was tremendous exposure for the Show Me State. Many of you may still have sweatshirts from this event that concluded in 2007 during the Kansas City Convention after a brilliant 25 year run.

Each year brings those of us who volunteer to serve with the hotel staff a few challenges (getting up at 4 a.m. after a night out in the Convention city for instance.) We all have vivid memories of fellow delegates forgetting they signed up and appearing in jammies or sometimes less as they answered that knock at the door (hint...there are lots of mirrors in a hotel room.) 

My favorite funny comes courtesy of the Toronto Convention in 2004.

I was assigned to help at the Intercontinental hotel and with a few years of experience now under my belt found the going to be smoother than normal. The staff was really on their game too and we were soon ahead of schedule which would lead to our undoing. We had served our meals for the allotted time between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. in less than 15 minutes. The group decided to gather in the service area with hotel staff and chat until more rooms and floors could be covered. 

The hotel was so professional keeping the breakfasts steaming hot in warming stations. We even received a visit  from the head chef during this interval. So....now visualize a small room with a very low ceiling and the master chef opening the door on the warming machines to check out the breakfasts. The steam escapes in a large cloud and all eyes follow it the few inches to the smoke alarm just above. Within seconds the piercing sound and lights of the fire alarm are our new companions.

Here's one additional kicker....in this hotel they cannot be turned off by anyone except the fire department.

Well inside information is always invaluable and since we knew how and why things were happening it was hard not to smile and even snicker as the hotel was evacuated over the next few minutes. We did our part by directing our fellow delegates and other hotel guests to the exits....many in hotel robes and many with much less on. And you know how hard it is not to laugh when you're supposed to be serious.....my sides still hurt and the tears still flow as I have retold this story of  looking down 14 stories to the street to see the "White Out"....comprised of robes and bath towels on the Avenues below.

I must have looked like the cat who swallowed the canary as everyone returned several minutes later. The bewildered look on Catherine and Suzanne's faces....oh my gosh I really should not name names...is still just as vivid as I write this as when it happened.

So glad I volunteered that morning...Wake Up To Missouri!!

Yes, that's right, the number of appointment taking tour operator buyers is up by a full 40% over last year. This means more appointment opportunities for everyone. But DMO and supplier space is filling fast, so don't delay or you may find yourself on a waiting list for appointments.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tourisme Montreal for their sponsorship as the host city for Convention. The destination is fantastic, but it is the people organizing the event that are exceptional. Vous êtes le meilleur!

Check back next week -- I have another funny story to share with you from a NTA convention goer. Au revoir for now!

Remember, send me know your funny Convention stories (written or video) at NTAConvention10@gmail.com!

Dawn Rueckl
2010 NTA Convention Chair

The Guy with a Pillow Case Stuck to His Head 

Getting the most out of convention involves an understanding of the event and a clear picture of what your goals are. The business opportunities are endless, but as the Boy Scouts always say, you need to be prepared. In order to maximize your time and money, have a firm idea of what you want to accomplish before you get there and make a plan. Click here for some great guidelines on how to define your convention experience.

But the unexpected can always happen, as Paul Nakamoto from Roaring Camp Railroad tells us in his VERY funny story of his first NTA Convention. Read on....

"As a member of the NTA Board of Directors, let me be one of the firsts to incriminate myself with a funny convention story.

Part 1
In the past, NTA held two annual conventions, a Spring Exchange and the annual convention in the fall. While attending the Spring Exchange in Birmingham, Alabama (my first real visit to the south) I arrived real late, checked in to the hotel and fell asleep watching TV, chewing gum. The next morning I woke up and no gum...ah it had fallen out of my mouth and on to the pillow and now the pillow case was firmly fastened to my hair! No matter how much I tried I couldn't pull the pillow case and gum out of my hair. I tried everything I had with me, toothpaste, shaving cream, soap, shampoo, hair condition all it did was made a really big mess! So I called the hotel front desk and they suggested peanut butter and ice but all they had were Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and I tried both with no luck. So I called the front desk again and they transferred me to the hotel salon and barber shop and the person there said come on down we should have something that can remove the pillow case. I asked where are you located? The reply was walk through the lobby and were on the far end. I said, I'm an Asian Man from California, I can't walk through the hotel lobby with a pillow case on my head in Birmingham Alabama. So the front desk sent up a big floppy hat and I put the hat on, put a pair of sunglasses on and I ran through the lobby to the barber shop. Once in the barber shop, the barber said oh we can take care of this and I heard a SNIP and the barber had simply cut a big chunk of my hair off and now I had a man-made bald spot (one hour to go before my first appointment). I said now what am I going to do? The barber simply combed my hair with the part on the other side. So a few hours later I'm sitting in an appointment (with an unnamed tour operator) and I'm scratching my head with a pen forgetting that's now where my part is and I had colored in my part with blue ink. Oh it was an unforgettable day but the funniest part was on the bus that night hearing people gossiping about the guy who got a pillow case stuck to his head.

Part 2
Since the Spring Exchange was before Pow Wow, I was on a plane to Pow Wow heading for Dallas with a bunch of tourism colleagues from my area and as the flight attendant was serving drinks, she brought me two cups of ice with my can of Coke. I asked what's the second cup for? Her reply, oh that's in case you need to remove gum from your hair if you fall asleep. A little while later the next round of drinks came and when she served me a drink she handed me a Reese's Peanut Butter cup and I said, okay now I know I'm being set up and she just smiled and said, peanut butter is great for taking gum out of your hair. Then when I got to my hotel the desk clerk said oh wait there's a basket for you and it was full of assorted flavors of gum, a big jar of Skippy Peanut Butter and a big floppy hat. That entire week of Pow Wow, everything I left my booth I'd come back to a "gift" of some sort so my tourism colleagues here in the San Francisco Bay Area had fun with this one too."

Submitted by Paul Nakamoto
Roaring Camp Railroads 

Welcome to the first entry for the 2010 Convention blog!

I have a special message to all NTA members about Convention. Watch my first video blog below and hear what funny thing happened to me at the NTA Convention one year. Remember, check back frequently to watch and read your colleagues stories and get updates about Convention 10!

And, let me know your stories too! Send them to me (written or video) at NTAConvention10@gmail.com.

Happy laughing,

Dawn Rueckl
2010 NTA Convention Chair

Preparing for the Trip...Your Questions Answered

Q: What do I need to bring with me to be prepared for networking/business functions? Should my materials be in Spanish/English?
A:  All attendees should have at least 150 business cards available for networking at MONTAGE.  Additionally, for the Workshop session, attendees should bring information about your company either brochures or a profile sheet. If your information is available in Spanish, we suggest that you bring 50 copies.

Q: Will the Dine Around be hosted or is it a group event that everyone partakes in?
A:  At Friday night's MONTAGE Dine Around, a local coordinator will accompany guests as they stroll bar to bar and help them choose among the wide variety of tapas. Attendees will be responsible for their own expenses this evening.
 
Q: Is there a buyer-to-buyer opportunity or is it all "shopping" along a destination pavilion sort of set up?
A: The Workshop (scheduled for Thursday, April 15 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.), is open to all attendees, both buyers and sellers. During this time, attendees who registered as a seller will be positioned at tables with buyer attendees being able to shop the floor. While there are no restrictions on what can be distributed during the Workshop, it is recommended that you have available a business card and profile sheet. There is no additional buyer-to-buyer session. 

Q: What is the dress code? What is the dress code for the Gala dinner?
A: Attire for all seminars, events and leisure activities is smart casual. 

Q: For those of us staying for the pre- and post-trips, are there laundry facilities or the ability to clean our clothes to eliminate over packing?
A: The Hotel Silken Al-Andalus offers valet laundry service, please consult hotel staff for prices and availability.
 
Q: What meals are provided and what must I cover or on my own?
A:  The following meals are included in your MONTAGE registration:
      Breakfast*:  April 14, 15, 16, & 17
      Lunch:  April 15, 16, & 17
      Dinner**:  April 14, 15, & 17

Q: What is the hotel address?
A: Hotel Silken Al-Andalus
     Avenida de la Palmera
     Esquina c/. Parana
     41012 Sevilla
     Spain
     34 954 298 850 (p)* 

Q: Who should I contact if my flight/train is delayed arriving into Seville?
A: Contact Lee Carter at 44 (0) 780 286 4591*. 

Seville is an open, welcoming, hospitable city. It is also a city full of secrets which cannot be explained in their entirety because you must first earn them, or at least be prepared to earn them.

Because of the charming appeal and the wide range of activities available,
Seville has become one of the most popular urban choices when visiting Spain: a cultural melting pot of the most fascinating cultures spread along the Mediterranean, and a unique place where all of them have left their footprint: Tartessians, Iberians, Romans, Arabs, Jews and Christians.

It is a lyrical destination, where to find an infinite world of attractions as
monuments, flamenco, sports, gastronomy, history, shopping...

Shortly after the discovery of America in 1492, thanks to our port, Sevilla was the point of convergence of all the goods shipped across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with the monopoly of the trade with the "New World" overseas, which made of the city a universal and cosmopolitan metropolis: Seville attracted people from everywhere, as capital of both worlds.

Two major international events in the 20th century, first the Iberian American Exhibition in 1929 and then in 1992 the World Fair to commemorate the fifth centennial of the Discovery of America revealed a modern city fully capable of exploiting the opportunities brought by democracy and a significant economic development, offering itself to the world.

In recent years, Sevilla has undergone great changes in order to modernize this fabulous city, such as the new urban network of bike lanes, covering over a hundred miles, the new pedestrian areas in the historical centre combined with the tramway, the new underground network, besides our tourist infrastructures: International airport , the AVE or high-speed train, more than 20.000 hotel beds, etc.

On the other hand, everything about Sevilla is true - all of its stereotypes, and many others yet be invented, and also its secrets, or rather its hidden treasures. Sevilla is unique, but there are many Sevillas.

For example, the Seville of the orange blossom, that you will find at its peak during NTA MONTAGE : almost every street in the city is filled with a line of orange trees, which are in bloom in March and April, marking the beginning of the warm season.

It's no coincidence that Seville's most important and distinctive celebrations take place at this very moment: both the religious Semana Santa and the profane Feria de Abril bring by this time of year their long awaited atmosphere to our streets.
Beyond sight and sound, smell and flavour provide our memory with unforgettable sensations. If you wish to add the azahar to your library of catchy memories, hurry up for your travel reservations. You're still on time to join us for NTA MONTAGE! 

I hope to see you there,
Santi

P.S. Please fan our MONTAGE Facebook page!

Thanks, as always, to the sponsors, including The Mills, A SIMON Company for the registration bags and Hotel Silken Al-Andalus Palace for the Friday morning seminar.

One of the best parts about traveling is the opportunity to experience other cultures. One of the aspects of Spain that I enjoy but many find difficult at first, is the way the day operates, in particular meal times and entertainment. If you plan a night of dining with friends and go to a restaurant at 6 pm, as you might here in the states, you will be alone! If not alone, anyone else there would be having a snack or a drink. Lunch at 12 noon? You're not serious!?! Lunch is usually around 2 pm.

Let's put it this way. If you are used to eating when the news is on, you will have lunch at 3 pm and dinner at 9 pm. As I recall from time spent in the homes of friends in Madrid, meals were later and you didn't even think about going dancing until midnight had come and gone.

The other part of this is that most of the stores including supermarkets close at 2 pm. They reopen later in the day. It is what we call siesta. Although not all business work on this time clock, many do.

If you take a look at the schedule for MONTAGE, you might at first question the times of lunch, etc. but believe me, it is simply being a part of the Spanish clock. Once you get used to it, it is delightful! (Frankly, in my opinion the Friday dine around is a little early as it starts at 8pm).

You must enjoy tapas while you are at MONTAGE. It is so much fun to have some of this and some of that. Eating in Spain is to be enjoyed; it is not to be rushed. I have never been rushed at a restaurant in Spain--I do not think it happens. Meals are to be enjoyed along with conversation and relaxation. Vino tinto (red wine) is more popular and common in Spain than vino blanco (white wine) although delicious varieties of both can be enjoyed.

One last thought...if the only Spanish you remember is from high school, do not be afraid to use it. I have always found the Spanish people encouraging of people who make the effort to speak  their language.

Thanks, as always, to the sponsors and Theatre Direct & Broadway.com/Groups for sponsoring the notebooks. To learn how you can reach 100 tour operators through a MONTAGE sponsorship, contact Melisa-Beth Rooke today!

Writing the blog this week, fills me with the greatest of memories of this wonderful country. I can't wait to go back and see you there! No puedo esperar!

Hasta luego!

Larry Friedman
Nevada Commission on Tourism
lfriedman@travelnevada.com
2010 MONTAGE Chair

"Don't get me started about the personal enrichment MONTAGE offers."

That is how I ended last week's blog.  I realize that coming to MONTAGE is a business decision. We have to prioritize and look at return. Fortunately, for those who will attend MONTAGE, I believe they will have both business and personal return on investment.

To talk here on an NTA blog about the personal enrichment that travel brings, would be preaching to the choir. I would think that almost all of us entered the tourism industry because we knew what travel gives to an individual. We entered the industry because we understand that travel gives us incredible educational and growth opportunities PLUS fantastic friends and memories. If we didn't know that when we entered the industry, I am sure we learned it quickly.

So instead, let's talk about Spain. Have you been? I would almost be embarrassed to say how many times I have traveled there. The culture of Spain is alive and vibrant. The people love life and love to share it (see my photo below with friend in Spain)! It is a warm culture with zest. Numerous times recently when walking with friends in the streets of Madrid and seeing so many people out and about in the evening, we remarked "What crisis"? My Spanish friends all explained to me the importance of enjoying life and that yes, even when the afternoon news talked about "La Crisis", Spaniards want to enjoy family and friends always and in particular all weekend long (which often starts Thursday).  

I love the music of Spain and the dancing. Seville is so rich in the cultural history of this country. Do you realize that we arrive the week before the big Seville Fair? The preparations will be in full swing while we are there. Some of you may even consider staying over. This Fair is incredible! Last year it was the lead story a every night on the news in Madrid. I remember watching the news thinking how much I would love to go to Seville. I can't believe we are going--I can't believe that I am going with so many dear friends at NTA.

One other thing that I love about Spain. They are patient and very encouraging of those of us who try to speak Spanish. Brush up on your high school Spanish. They will all help you communicate. The smile on their faces will be of encouragement, not because they are laughing at you.

Ok, one more thing that I love about Spain....tapas.  The food is "rico"!

If you decide to go, I cannot imagine that you would regret it, either personally or professionally. If you decide not to go, you will miss a glorious opportunity.

Go to the MONTAGE and give this some serious thought. I'd love to share this enrichment with you.

This week, let's thank Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises for their MONTAGE sponsorship! It's not too late to sponsor at this event for premium exposure so contact Melisa-Beth Rooke today to reserve your spot!

Hasta luego!

Larry Friedman
Nevada Commission on Tourism
lfriedman@travelnevada.com
2010 MONTAGE Chair