July 2011 NTA News
NTA News is a compilation of stories from Tuesday newsletter, which NTA members receive each week.
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July 2011 Top Stories
Industry & Association News
Who's Coming to Convention '11? Get a Sneak Peek Here.
VIDEO: Fasten Your Seatbelts
How You Can Get Your NTA Membership Paid For
Orlando Sets U.S. Record for Visitation
NTA Staff Holds Open House at New HQ—Photos
U.S. Takes Top Honor at World Travel Fair
Texas Answers Call for More Precision in Travel Warnings to Mexico
NTA Taps Experts in Faith-based Tourism
Two Editorial Features Announced for September's Courier. Are Operators Finding You?
Business Tips
3 Ways to Avoid a Twitter Nightmare
Can a Blogger Help Your Destination? 3Qs with Leslie Koch
Who's Coming to Convention '11? Get a Sneak Peek Here.
Convention '11 registrations are pouring in, with members taking advantage of the Early Bird savings (between $110 and $200), as well as setting their sights on building business for 2012 and beyond. Who are these thrifty, forward-thinking folk? Your next partner? A buyer you want to re-connect with? Your competitor? The current list of attendees is on the Convention homepage; you can join NTA to register and join them!
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Have questions about Convention? Here's part of a Q&A with Convention '11 Chair, Laurie Lincoln
How many NTA Conventions have you attended?
I think my first one was in 1989, and I've maybe missed two, so probably 18 or 20. I think this will be my 20th. When I started my business I was so young, and you know how you freeze yourself in time? I still think I'm young and then I go, "Oh my God, I'm one of those veterans now!"
What brings you back every year?
For me it's one-stop shopping once a year. It saves me so much time and energy over doing research throughout the year. I can do a lot of my tour planning in that one week. Plus the face-to-face contact with tour suppliers, DMOs and fellow operators helps in terms of relationship building, which really is so important, and I feel a lot more comfortable knowing who I'm calling later on in the year.
How do you work the show?
We're not a series operator, we do preformed groups, and they book a trip when they want to go. So, once in a while, I'll bring actual dates with me—something I happen to be working on right then and there. But for me, I don't look to do actual hard signing of contracts or setting dates. For me, it's more about the research, product development and the relationship-building. It also is the destination where we have the Convention. That has opened my eyes to places I never would've sold before that I do now. I just think that the NTA Convention is the place to be. It's where solid business gets done. It's all quality members meeting quality members, and people are serious about what they do. We wouldn't give Convention up for anything now. We look forward to it; it's part of the process of how our company operates and gains product knowledge.
Can you give us a sneak peek at what Vegas has in store for us?
The Icebreaker at Maverick Helicopters is going to be quite a party. They're going to turn that hangar into a really cool, great party venue. It's definitely a different venue than what you'd expect from Vegas. I'm just so excited it's in Vegas. NTA has never been to Vegas before-this is huge! The first trip I ever ran was to Vegas. It's always been a big part of what I do. So it's kind of fun to show that off. If anybody hasn't been to Vegas for a while, that city just continues to reinvent itself. It amazes me when I go there. It has changed so much in the 25 years that I've been sending groups there. There's always something new, there's always something different—you can't just go to Las Vegas and see it in one visit.
Read the full article here. See you in Vegas.
VIDEO: Fasten Your Seatbelts
During a recent visit to NTA headquarters, UMA President and CEO Vic Parra sat down for an interview to discuss the new bus safety rules, how they affect tour operators and what tour operators will learn during "Understanding Your Liability: The New Bus Safety Rules," an educational session exclusively for CEOs and owners who attend Contact, NTA's new tour operator event taking place Aug. 1-3 in Newport, Rhode Island. Join NTA now so you don't miss another important educational session like this one.
Have you heard?: NTA and UMA, along with Motor Coach Canada, succeeded in their campaign to stop the International Registration Plan proposal to eliminate the exemption granted to charter bus operators, which would have forced most of them to buy apportioned license plates. See the release here.
How You Can Get Your NTA Membership Paid For
NTA has five Corporate Partners, and the saving you could get from just one or all six partners could pay for your NTA membership. Here's a look at a few partners:
Staples
One office employee uses an average $300 worth of office supplies annually. Multiply that by the number of employees in your office and you'll get an approximate amount you're spending each year on office supplies. Now multiply that number by 60 percent. That's the amount you could be saving through your NTA Corporate Partner benefit with Staples.
The NTA-Staples partnership offers U.S. NTA members discounts including free shipping on orders of $50 or more, discounts averaging 40 percent off in the large stock catalog and more!
"The NTA program with Staples is a great member benefit. It has saved us money on supplies and products. It also saves us time by ordering online and having the products delivered right to our office door. We have always purchased our products from Staples. Now we get savings and convenience too ... a great program."
- Ed Dresel, president, Destinations Unlimited
NTA member since 1989
FedEx
Shipping, printing and copying costs are common (and substantial) line items in most company budgets. Being an NTA member, though, gives you a way to control those costs.
NTA Corporate Partner FedEx offers NTA members discounts on select shipping, printing and copying services. For example, during just the first quarter of 2011, NTA member Bob Rogers Travel Inc. saved $790.79 on their FedEx shipments. Savings like that can significantly affect a company's bottom line.
Todd Rogers, director of sales at Bob Rogers Travel, said the company uses FedEx because they need to get things quickly and securely to customers, vendors and tour directors. The discount is an additional reason to use them. "We save between 10 and 15 percent per shipment with the Fed Ex corporate partnership program," he said. "What a nice bonus we receive by being an NTA member."
You've got to be an NTA member to take advantage of our Corporate Partner discounts. For more information on NTA's Corporate Partner benefits, click here. To join NTA today, click here.
Orlando Sets U.S. Record for Visitation
Hats off to Orlando, Florida, the first destination in the United States to welcome more than 50 million visitors in a single year. The city drew 51.455 million visitors last year, up 10.5 percent from 2009. Domestic visitors accounted for 93 percent (47.78 million) of Orlando's total visitation, a 10.3 percent increase over 2009; and international travel totaled 3.675 million, an increase of 12.6 percent from 2009. Convention and meeting visitation rose 1.4 percent. More details are here.
Orlando will be welcoming the NTA Convention in 2013, when NTA and the United Motorcoach Association hold their co-located conventions January 19-23 at the Orange County Convention Center. Vic Parra, UMA president and CEO, said Orlando is the perfect spot.
"We are looking forward to 2013 and having our Motorcoach Expo alongside NTA's Convention," Parra said. "Orlando is one of the premier destinations in the U.S. and is the perfect venue for inaugurating what will be the premier event in our industry."
The two associations will continue their collaboration with co-located events in Los Angeles in 2014 and New Orleans in 2015. For specific dates, click here.
NTA Staff Holds Open House at New HQ-Photos
Staff members propped open the doors of their new offices, welcoming friends, neighbors and associates to NTA's new headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. Pictured below with Pam Upton, (center) owner of Blue Grass Tours, are Lee Carter, NTA senior vice president, operations; and Ashley Crawford Horton, NTA account executive. Click here to see more photos (on Facebook).
U.S. Takes Top Honor at World Travel Fair
There's a new plaque on the wall of the NTA Visit USA Center in Shanghai, China. The United States won first place—the Golden Award—in the "My Dream Destination" competition at the World Travel Fair. Some 3,000 attendees cast votes at the May event for the country that presented the most desirable destination. Switzerland won the silver award in the competition, and Japan took the bronze.
The fair hosted more than 500 exhibitors from 45 countries/regions. The NTA Visit USA Center and U.S. Commercial Service co-hosted the show's U.S. Pavilion, which housed eight participating organizations from the United States. NTA's Haybina Hao and David Yu both presented at the event.
"I could not be happier to receive this news," said Hao, NTA's director of international development. "This award sends a powerful message to the U.S. trade and to our destinations that the Chinese travelers' dream is to see this country's diverse and beautiful landscape. It also means we have a lot of work to do to prepare for the big volume of Chinese tourists coming to the United States."
Join NTA and see how you can tap into the Chinese outbound market through our China Inbound Program and consulting services provided by the NTA Visit USA Center.
Texas Answers Call for More Precision in Travel Warnings to Mexico
NTA joined a group of travel associations, including the Adventure Travel Trade Association, American Society of Travel Agents and United States Tour Operators Association, calling for a more measured approach by the Texas Department of Public Safety in the issuance of travel warnings for Mexico.
American travel to Mexico represents a significant portion of U.S. outbound business, more than 14 percent. Over the past year, warnings from Texas have discouraged travel to all of Mexico due to concerns over drug wars in certain border areas. Tourism leaders believe that more precise, site-specific warnings would lessen the negative impact on travel to Mexico while still protecting American travelers.
Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, represented the travel associations in a meeting last month with representatives of Texas, the Mexico Tourism Board and U.S. travel businesses. He reported that the dialogue was productive.
"We have been working behind the scenes to help challenge misperceptions about this destination. There are specific places, especially along the Mexico/US border experiencing challenges. But most of Mexico remains safe, far away from the areas of concern, just waiting to be explored. We believe in Mexico," Stowell said. "The Texas Department of Public Safety engaged in a positive dialogue with the Mexican Tourism delegation and the U.S. business interests and promised to take into consideration information that Mexico provides them about more precise information on the issues of where travelers should not travel."
Stowell added that Rodolfo Negrete-Lopez, chief operating officer of the Mexico Tourism Board, expressed profound gratitude to NTA, ATTA, USTOA and ASTA for their support. For more information, see this story in Travel Weekly.
NTA Taps Experts in Faith-based Tourism 
NTA is taking big steps toward engaging the $18 billion faith-based tourism market, including the recent hire of Kevin Wright, the leading authority in faith-based tourism, as a consultant; creating an advisory council; and providing faith-based tourism programming for Convention '11.
Forty percent of NTA tour operators report involvement in faith-based tourism, which has a wide reach that includes conferences, volunteer vacations and adventure trips, said Lisa Simon, NTA president. "Many people think of religious travel as a trip to the Holy Land, but it involves many aspects of the tourism industry right here in North America."
To help guide NTA decision-making in regard to this market, the association has formed a Faith-based Tourism Advisory Council, composed of the following members:
- Paul Larsen; president, Ed-Ventures Inc. (council chairman)
- Torre Ossmo; vice president and general manager, Faithful Holidays
- Malia Asfour; director, Jordan Tourism Board North America
- Paula Bohaty; group travel manager, Nebraska Travel & Tourism
- Linville J. Johnson; deputy director, religious market, The Bahamas Tourist Office
- Mirko Capodanno; manager, Central USA & Canada, Switzerland Tourism
- Tim Moulder; director of sales, Sweet Magnolia Tours
- Roger McCurry; former pastor and current group travel leader
- Jim Reddekopp Jr;. 2011 NTA vice chairman (NTA board liaison)
Two Editorial Features Announced for September's Courier. Are Operators Finding You?
Hey, destinations and suppliers in the U.S. SE/SW:
More than 300 NTA tour operators package to the U.S. Southwest and/or Southeast—that's Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. These are the destinations highlighted in the September issue of Courier magazine.
Calling all Museums, Sightseeing Rail and Literary Attractions!
We're looking at you for the September issue of Courier magazine. This is one editorial feature you'll want to participate in.
1,500 NTA tour operators receive Courier each month, and they read Courier to find partners to develop their itineraries. Are they finding you? Promote your destination in this issue! Enhance your presence through a display advertisement and show 1,500 tour operators that you want them to visit you. Contact NTA Services by e-mail or +1.859.264.6559 today for details. (Discounts for NTA members are available.)
3 Ways to Avoid a Twitter Nightmare
Public relations nightmares have been a common occurrence in social media, especially on Twitter. And often, these mishaps aren't so much Internet security issues as they are failures in using good judgment when communicating in 140 characters or less.
Here are three ways to avoid your own personal/professional Twitter nightmare:
- Change your Twitter password on a regular basis. Any of your online accounts-e-mail, Facebook, banking-can be compromised by a determined hacker. So, it's best to use passwords that consist of a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and then change your passwords every few months.
- Be mindful of your personal and professional brand. Before you post any tweet, ask yourself: "Would I be okay having a client (or my Mom) see what I write? Am I writing something a competitor could use against me?" Twitter is full of varied opinions and it's okay to share yours, but you never want to be branded as something you're not.
- Pretend that nothing is private. There are two ways to be private on Twitter: 1) you can "protect" your account so that the only people who can see your tweets are people to whom you give permission, or 2) communicate privately with a follower via direct message, otherwise known as a DM. Neither is recommended, though, if you intend to get the most out of the time you're investing in social media.
If you put limitations on your account and tweets, you're essentially taking the "social" out of social media, which defeats the purpose. And while many DMs between mutual followers are harmless in nature, it's incredibly easy to make the mistake of sending a public reply instead of a private one, especially with so many different methods and interfaces—desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile, third party apps—at your disposal.
Twitter is all about being authentic, engaging with others and providing value to your audience. If you keep those things in mind, you'll significantly reduce the chance of having to issue a public apology after one of your tweets.
Can a Blogger Help Your Destination? 3Qs with Leslie Koch 
After reading a glowing description of a destination on a travel blog, you might wonder how you can connect with a blogger for your destination. Here's one now-with plenty of advice.
Leslie Koch is a freelance writer and blogger based in New York City. After leaving a corporate marketing career in 2008 to backpack around the world, she visited 17 countries and 5 continents in one year. In 2010 Koch founded Downtown Traveler, an online magazine for urban adventurers, featuring articles about travel, arts and culture. Find her on Twitter here. (@LeslieTravel)
Q. Why is the voice of the blogger important in the travel and tourism industry?
A. The travel and tourism industry is increasingly courting bloggers because they provide immediate, in-depth and influential coverage. You may wait for months to see a brief mention of your destination in a magazine, but bloggers will start their coverage almost immediately. Many bloggers post live updates, photos and videos to Twitter and Facebook during Fam trips.
Bloggers are engaged in a two-way conversation with their audience. They respond to reader questions and even create follow-up posts based on reader feedback. If there are misperceptions about your destination, this is a great way to address them.
Q. How do DMOs find bloggers?
A. Twitter is the nerve center of the online travel community and is a great place to find influential bloggers. Here's how: Search for your destination or region (e.g., #Brazil) to see who is sharing information. If a post is getting a lot of "retweets," chances are it came from a user with a large network. Once you identify a blogger who may be a good fit, make your first contact on Twitter.
Retweet their posts, ask them a question related to your destination, or give them a shout on "Travel Tuesday" (on Twitter using the tag #TT or #TravelTuesday). Then follow up with an e-mail message; if the blogger is familiar with you from Twitter, they are more likely to respond.
Q. Does the DMO always sponsor a blogger?
A. DMOs should always offer to sponsor a blogger. Unlike staff writers, bloggers do not have the option of expensing their travel costs; a Fam trip may be the only way they can afford to visit your destination. Sponsored trips are one of the main perks of blogging, which is not a lucrative profession. A blogger is looking for an amazing experience that will excite and inspire readers. We want to showcase unique offerings and introduce our followers to hidden gems.
For weekly business tips like these, join NTA.