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News from the National Tour Association: April 2009 Update

If you have any questions about any of the programs detailed in this newsletter or about becoming part of the National Tour Association community, contact NTA Director of Membership Development Chris Horsley at 800.682.8886, ext. 4354 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.226.4354.

The NTA Board of Directors announced a new format for the NTA Annual Convention, which will take place in Reno, Nevada, Nov. 14-18. The format was developed by the Meetings & Events Committee, based on member feedback and research, and NTA also worked to make the Convention as affordable as possible by negotiating great hotel prices and allowing members to register at 2008 rates.

The Convention opens Saturday with a day focused on operator partnering with prescheduled appointments, primarily operator-focused education and a full schedule of sightseeing tours (all members are welcome to attend the seminars and the tours). Appointments between destinations and operators will be 10 minutes and set in a regional format with tour operators walking the floor. Tour operators will be seated, as they typically have been, for prescheduled 10-minute appointments with suppliers.

As always, the business floor will be open throughout the Convention. This year's schedule includes open shopping time for the operators with DMOs and suppliers in the regional format as well as a series of five-minute prescheduled appointments between the operators and suppliers that are supplier request only.

Affordability will be another key factor for this year's Convention. Operators still have the early-bird option, and this registration fee and the regular fee have not increased over 2008 prices. And, for the first time, NTA has added a discounted early-bird rate for suppliers and DMOs, which will allow them to attend Convention at the 2008 registration price if they sign up by June 16. Also, room rates will be available through the NTA hotel block for as low as $54 a night for operators and $58 for suppliers and DMOs.

Specific information for tour operators, DMOs and tour suppliers on the format and how it works is available at NTAonline.com. 

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Key NTA Dates for the Rest of 2009

Whether you are considering becoming a new member, considering reinstatement of your membership, or if you just want to keep in touch with us, we wanted to share dates of importance on the NTA schedule. We invite you to participate in any of the Road Shows listed on this calendar to learn more about the association. And, should you become an active member this year, the convention dates and deadlines will help you in your planning.

• April 23 — NTA Road Show (Tucson, Arizona)
• May 19 — NTA Annual Convention registration opens
• June 4-6 — NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet (Monterey, California)
• June TBD — NTA Road Show (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• July 15 — Annual Convention appointment scheduling opens
• Aug. 8-16 — NTA Product Development Trip to India
• Aug. 20 — NTA Road Show (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
• Sept. 10-15 — NTA Product Development Trip to Idaho
• Oct. (dates TBA) — NTA Product Development Trip to Germany (includes attending the 2009 American Tourism Society Fall Conference)
• Oct. 9 — Annual Convention appointment scheduling closes
• Nov. 14-18 — NTA Annual Convention (Reno, Nevada)

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Travel and Tourism Getting President Obama's Attention 

Thirteen travel industry CEOs held a 20-minute White House meeting with President Obama in early March. The CEOs, who were in Washington, D.C., for U.S. Travel's inaugural CEO Roundtable, focused on the industry's concerns related to business and meetings travel.

The following day, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "The president believes it's important to have a strong tourism industry and that it's important, as the president said earlier ... that we shouldn't retrench. He would encourage people to travel."

Many in the industry are rallying behind U.S. Travel's Meetings Mean Business campaign. To help people support this important grassroots initiative, U.S. Travel has created a Web site, http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/, to give facts about the economic impact of business- and meetings-related travel and a tool kit for taking action.

Travel and tourism representatives have been banging a consistent drum of messages on the importance of this sector of the economy even before Obama took office. NTA sent a proposal to Obama's transition team on behalf of two dozen organizations that met for a summit in December to develop ideas to stimulate the national economy through travel and tourism. To continue emphasizing these points, NTA members spoke about these legislative priorities during meetings with congressional leaders during the NTA 9th annual Grassroots Symposium in late February.

To get involved at the grassroots level with NTA's advocacy efforts, contact NTA Director of Government and Industry Relations Matt Grayson.

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NTA Board Selects 2009 Advocacy Priority Issues 

The creation of an Executive Office of Travel and Tourism and federal lands funding are two of the six issues approved by the NTA Board of Directors for priority advocacy emphasis in 2009.

Other issues noted for special attention include the need for grants and loans for state, regional and local travel and tourism development; the creation of more user-friendly visa procedures and processes; the passage of Highway Reauthorization legislation; and the re-examination of travel bans. Additional legislation to promote travel and tourism promotion and development, such as the Travel Promotion Act of 2008, will also be a priority for association activity when such legislation is introduced.

These priorities, which were developed through member survey feedback and recommendations from the Public Affairs Committee, also coordinate with the recommendations from the Dec. 16 Economic Summit.

While six issues have been designated for priority attention, NTA's advocacy efforts will not be limited to those issues. NTA's government relations team will continue to monitor legislation impacting state and local tourism promotional budgets and assist members wherever possible.

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Make Plans to be in Monterey for the 2009 Spring Meet

NTA is taking you to breathtaking Monterey, California, for the 2009 Tour Operator Spring Meet. Operators and receptive operators won't want to miss the partnering, education and product development options that are on tap for this incredible event. During these uncertain economic times, coming together with fellow operators for collaboration and discussion is a valuable investment.

Travel industry expert Dr. Peter Tarlow will be on hand at the 2009 NTA Spring Meet not only to offer up some great information during his educational seminars, but also to meet with tour operators one-on-one to help them navigate the current economy. Tarlow will have a booth in the InfoZone throughout the event and will be scheduling free sessions for tour operators.

Being able to sit down with this renowned economist and travel expert one on one is just another reason you need to make plans to join NTA in Monterey for the Spring Meet, June 4-6. NTA is offering a special tour operator guest program for operators who aren't NTA members yet, but still wish to experience the value of Spring Meet. For more information about the program, contact NTA Director of Membership Development Chris Horsley.

Suppliers and DMOs who would like to be in Monterey to promote their product or destination to this exclusive group of tour operators should contact NTA Vice President of Sales and Sponsorship Karla DiNardo. To see a list of the available sponsorships, click here.

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NTA Partners with CBS to Promote Members, Travel and Tourism

NTA has developed two incredible marketing opportunities that will help promote the association and travel and tourism. The first one is based on an offer from CBS television to get clients of NTA tour operators and receptive operators on U.S. national television during "The Early Show" on CBS.

Through this exclusive invitation, groups traveling that travel to New York City on a package offered by an NTA member can be part of the audience for "The Early Show," and CBS will guarantee to turn the cameras on them during the broadcast. As a bonus, the group will receive a free backstage tour of the studio after the show.

Besides that promotion for NTA and its members, the association also has secured 91 days of advertising time on the CBS "Super Screen" in New York's Times Square. The NTA ad, which will be seen by 1.5 million travelers each day, promotes a "Live Life and Travel" message that directs viewers to a newly created consumer section of the NTA Web site and encourages them to find an NTA tour operator.

If you have any questions on these promotions, please e-mail catherine.prather@NTAstaff.com.

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NTA and UMA Exploring Co-locating Their Conventions

NTA and the United Motorcoach Association announced a cooperative effort to explore co-locating their two annual conferences, the UMA Motorcoach Expo and the NTA Annual Convention, some time in the next three to five years. The exploration is part of NTA's ongoing effort to build alliances and foster collaboration in the industry as a way to bring more partners to the table and impact your business.

This announcement comes a year after the two organizations formed a strategic partnership and took a more active role in each other's annual conventions. NTA currently hosts the Destination and Attractions aisle at UMA Motorcoach Expo, while UMA reciprocates by sponsoring the motorcoach exhibit area during NTA's Convention. Over the coming months the two organizations will continue to explore the details of co-locating, even though the combined event could be a few years off.

"NTA is continually focused on developing new business opportunities for our members," said NTA Chairman and CEO Michele Michalewicz, CTP. "During this stressed economic climate, it makes sense to explore this because it will save members money and bring better value and better business to members. Just as NTA members will have access to faith-based travel partners when NTA begins co-locating with the WRTA in Reno this fall, they can have access to hundreds of new motorcoach operators if NTA and UMA meet at the same time." 

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NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel is Online 

The second edition of the NTA Trip Planner for student travel planners is available in both printed and digital form. The specialty publication includes feature stories on sightseeing cruises and rail excursions, performance groups, attractions, theaters, museums and Washington, D.C., and you can see the online version if you click here.

The student Trip Planner was mailed to 24,500 student travel buyers, as well as every NTA member, with the February issue of NTA's Courier magazine.

The goal of the Trip Planner publications is to introduce specific types of travel buyers, such as student travel planners and group leaders, to NTA members and help educate them about the diverse products offered by the association's tour operator, tour supplier and DMO members. The next issue of the series is targeted at group travel planners and will be distributed this August.

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Tips on Using Facebook to Help Your Business 

More than 175 million people around the world use Facebook; are you one of them? For those who aren't tech savvy, this social media tool may seem frightening. But, take heart. This Web-based tool is an easy-to-use networking site that can be valuable to travel professionals of all kinds.

NTA is new to Facebook but we've learned a few lessons along the way and want to help you as well. Click here to see a document that includes tips on how to get started, how you can use Facebook for business needs and why this tool is so important in today's business world.

This is the first of several "How-to" documents NTA is preparing, based on the recommendation of the 2009 Technology Committee. Others have included using LinkedIn, another social media site, and ways to get the most out of the NTA Member Forums.

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Ways to Effectively Reach the Millennial Generation 

(NOTE - Information for the following article was taken from "The Herman Trend Alert," by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist, 800.227.3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com/. The "Herman Trend Alert" is a trademark of The Herman Group of Companies, Inc.)

Recently JobFox.com conducted a poll of recruiters with predictable results: Millennials (28 or younger) were judged to be the least effective performers of the four generations in the U.S. workplace. Twenty percent of the responders characterized Millennials as "generally great performers," compared to 63 percent who said baby boomers (43 to 62 years old) were great performers and 58 percent who gave high marks to Gen Xers (29 to 42).

Jobfox CEO Rob McGovern believes that corporate leaders, not Millennial professionals, "need attitude adjustments." Certainly, the Millennials are the most educated and technologically savvy generation ever and he said once companies understand them and choose to make an effort to engage them, they are a very impressive group of workers. The poll points to there being four major motivators for Millennials:

• The most sought-after motivator is balance. Millennials do not embrace the value of the Boomer-created 9-to-5 work week and they work best when they can set their own hours.
  
• They want to be on the leading edge. Millennials understand that technology is changing rapidly, and companies that do not provide new learning experiences will see this generation seeking jobs elsewhere.
  
• They do not want to be treated as "junior" anything. Millennials want to begin contributing right away, and companies must do a better job of helping younger workers see how their work relates to the bottom line.
  
• Millennials are looking for stability, especially now. Companies will find Millennial workers to be loyal team players as long as they can balance work and life goals, gain new learning opportunities and feel like they are supporting company goals. 

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NPS Centennial Challenge Projects for 2009 Announced

As the United States moves toward the 100th anniversary of its National Park Service in 2016, the Centennial Challenge program is helping fund improvements at certain NPS sites leading up to the celebration. This year marks the second year of the initiative, through which the Park Service will match federal funds with contributions from park partners to prepare national parks for another century of conservation, preservation and enjoyment.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and NPS Director Mary A. Bomar, announced the NPS sites that will receive $27 million through the Centennial Challenge. The U.S. federal government will contribute $10.5 million, while $16.5 million is coming from philanthropic giving. The following list of the 10 sites includes a diverse set of renovation and preservation efforts and range from replacing a tram system at the St. Louis Arch to restoring rare and endangered plant species at Hawaii's Haleakala National Park.

• Haleakala National Park (Hawaii)
• Independence National Historical Park (Pennsylvania)
• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Indiana)
• Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Missouri)
• Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)
• National Capital Parks (Washington, D.C.)
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (California)
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska)
• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)

For details on the 2009 Centennial Challenge projects, click here.

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Register for Tourism Cares for Gettysburg

Tourism Cares is gearing up for its 2009 clean-up project, which will bring together industry professionals in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from April 16 to 18.

Volunteers who take part in the 7th edition of the Tourism Cares for America project will help with tasks such as painting, replacing fencing, restoring period structures, removing modern structures, cutting trees and clearing brush at the George Spangler Farm near the battlefield, which is one of the most significant sites in U.S. military history.

Sitting on 80 acres in rural Pennsylvania, the farm was used as a field hospital for thousands of wounded Union and Confederate soldiers during the battle. It also was the sight of the death of Confederate Gen. Lewis Armistead, who led the climactic event of the three-day battle, Pickett's Charge. Today, the property is one of the last field hospitals kept intact as it was in 1863.

Click here for more information on this year's event or to register.

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