November 2011 NTA News
NTA News is a compilation of stories from Tuesday newsletter, which NTA members receive each week.
Questions about NTA? Contact us today. We'd love to have you join us.
November 2011 Top Stories
Industry & Association News
Everyone Is Smiling for a Reason
More Reasons to attend Convention '11
31 Steps to a Highly Effective NTA Convention
ADP Offers $300 Cash Back to NTA Members
NTA Reps Work to Bolster Tourism Markets
Join the Conversation
Seminars Illuminate Lucrative Markets for Tour Operators
Contact '12 Set for August
Reach 20,000 Student Travel Planners
Industry News and Updates
Everyone Is Smiling for a Reason
Check out the ear-to-ear grins on the members' faces in this Convention video. There were so many memorable moments last year in Montreal—and the feedback afterwards was overwhelmingly positive! Now we're getting ready to meet up again, in Vegas, in just 31 days.
Convention '11 is going to be even bigger. Registrations are record-breaking—including more than 300 members who are going to experience it for the first time! They're joining our Convention family to take advantage of the networking and partnering opportunities. You should too!
The week's focus will be on building business, but there's also going to be lots of chances for you to unwind, have fun, and network with old friends and new allies in a relaxed setting!
Here's a sampling:
- Broadway.com/Groups Luncheon (hosted by Broadway veteran, Kate Shindle)
- Tourism Rocks party at Hard Rock Café & Casino
- Icebreaker at Maverick Helicopters
- NTA's 60th Anniversary celebration
- '80s Night party at the Flamingo
- Gala Reception and "Your Vegas is Showing!" Dinner and Dance
2,000+ travel industry professionals from every U.S. state, Canadian province and 29 countries are coming to Convention, December 5-9, in Las Vegas. We hope you are too! You're part of the industry. You belong at NTA!
There's still time to register. But you have to join first! Just e-mail us and let us know you want to join or call 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.264.6540.
More Reasons to Attend Convention '11
"Great networking. Great people. Awesome camaraderie and good business potential."
"We found the marketplace extremely effective in finding new ideas."
"Best appointments I have had at NTA in years."
"I walked away from the show with new business that I likely wouldn't have gotten otherwise."
"I love the Destination Pavilion."
"I had a lot of appointments with people that were new to my destination and my products."
"It was nice to get new business instead of snatching clients from our competition."
—member comments from Convention '10
With its all-inclusive format and proven business-building design, NTA's Convention has been described as "a business meeting extraordinaire, designed to maximize the opportunities for networking."
This year's Convention offers three important reasons for attending:
- NTA members. The caliber of NTA members and their dedication to the industry make each Convention a valuable business-building destination. And, they know how to have fun!
- Business Opportunities. The all-member, all-access format and new Destination Pavilion mean you can network all day and well into the evenings if you want to.
- A great host city. Thanks to the energy of our fabulous host city (Las Vegas!), there's no better place to be than Convention in December.
It's a powerful combination, and we can't wait to see how our members shape their Annual Convention this year.
We'd love to have you there, too! Check out the Convention Web site for the schedule, registration information, networking events, educational opportunities and more.
Join NTA and join us in Las Vegas. (Tour operators: you can attend for only $99!)
E-mail Member Services or call 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.264.6540.
31 Steps to a Highly Effective NTA Convention
Barb Bowman, director of sales and division manager of Grand Junction Visitor and Convention Bureau, has attended 20 NTA Conventions and she's developed "31 Steps to a Highly Effective NTA Convention."
Join NTA now, register for Convention '11, then work down her 31 steps to successful networking and business building.
E-mail us and let us know you want to join.
ADP Offers $300 Cash Back to NTA Members
NTA Corporate Partner ADP is offering NTA members who sign up for their services between now and Dec. 31 up to $300 cash back* on payroll processing fees, plus free 2011 W–2s.
Hundreds of thousands of companies rely on ADP solutions to help them save time and money and improve administrative performance. ADP is one of the world's largest providers of business outsourcing solutions such as:
- Payroll Tax Filing to help you maintain your compliance with payroll tax laws.
- Unemployment Cost Management to manage claims administration and the auditing of benefit charges.
- Time & Labor Management to help you control your labor expense.
- New Hire Reporting to help you stay compliant with new hire reporting regulations.
- Full Service Direct Deposit, which electronically sends employees' net pay to their bank accounts.
- TotalPay® Car, which loads net pay on to dedicated debit cards for employees without bank account.
- Job Tax Credit Service, which files and manages applications for employment tax credits that can add to your profits.
- ADP Retirement Services, which offers a bundled Retirement Plan program for all size companies. From simple IRA programs to 401(k) plans, ADP Retirement Services partners with some of the largest investment firms in the industry to offer a diverse selection of investment choices for employers and employees.
Let ADP take care of some of your administrative needs so you can put your time and efforts into growing your business.
But you must be an NTA member to benefit from this offer! To join, call 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.264.6540, or drop us an e-mail.
*Minimum 25 percent off for new customers and up to 25 percent off for existing customers. Available to NTA members in North America.
NTA Reps Work to Bolster Tourism Markets
NTA is making friends and connections around the continent and around the globe! Here's where we've been lately, what we're talking about and who we met:
- At the ASTA Expo, Sept. 11, in Las Vegas, NTA President Lisa Simon spoke on the value of connecting with NTA tour operators.
- The week of Sept. 19-23 found NTA Chairman and CEO Cathy Greteman and NTA's Public Relations Advocate Steve Richer in New York City visiting several National Tourism Offices, including a meeting with Mexican Secretaria de Turismo Gloria Guevara and Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Greteman, Simon and Richer also attended the Africa Travel Association meeting during United Nations General Assembly Week at New York University, where they met the Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia Her Excellency Aja Dr. Isatou Nije Saidy.
- During the Visit Orlando Hot Topics Conference, Sept. 30, in Orlando, NTA Member Ed Dresel addressed suppliers on the reach and diversity of NTA members.
- On Oct. 5 NTA held the first of two Webinars by our strategic partner, Sustainable Travel International. The first Webinar covered implementing best practices; the second, slated for Nov. 17, will discuss destination stewardship.
- At the Iowa Tourism Conference, Oct. 19, in Des Moines, Greteman did a presentation on how to increase group tourism.
- Simon traveled to Toronto to attend the Ontario North American Trade Symposium, Oct. 20, to talk about increasing tour operator-packaged travel into Canada.
- Simon was also part of the Cuba 2011 Video Conference, Oct. 21, in Washington, D.C., delivering keynote remarks on the status of travel from the U.S. to Cuba.
- Greteman just returned from the NACTA conference, where she connected with travel agents and talked about the opportunities we have to do business together.
The Tour Supplier and DMO Category Breakouts at NTA's Convention are where NTA members get together with their industry peers to discuss important issues and ideas, and share best practices. Each breakout is led by a facilitator to get the conversation going, but the topics to be discussed are up to participants.
Join NTA to join the conversation! Call 800.682.8886 (U.S. and Canada) or +1.859.264.6540, or drop us an e-mail.
Seminars Illuminate Lucrative Markets for Tour Operators
The slate of educational sessions at Convention '11 includes how-to seminars on four burgeoning and lucrative markets:
- faith-based tourism (estimated to be an $18-billion, 300-million-traveler-a-year segment),
- the China inbound to U.S. market
- the U.S Hispanic market
- adventure travel
Come to Convention '11, Dec. 5-9, in Las Vegas and learn the ins and outs of these and other markets, plus how to expand your marketing, better handle your clients, and sell from a position of power. These are just a few—there are 5 days of seminars to take you and your business further.
There's still time to register for the NTA Convention. But you have to join first!
Contact—NTA's tour operator-exclusive show—is heading west next year to San Diego. The three-day session, set for August 16–18, 2012, will bring travel professionals together in one of California's most inviting and scenic settings.
"If you haven't been to San Diego in the last few years, you don't know what you've been missing," said Benjamin Eastman, travel trade development manager of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. "San Diego's friendly atmosphere makes it the ideal place for Contact because it's such a casual and relaxed conference."
Chairing Contact '12, and echoing Eastman's sentiments, is Misha Jovanovic, owner of Misha Tours in San Diego. "I've lived 32 years in Europe and 32 years here, and this is the best destination on the continent," he said. "There are many big attractions, but there are lots of hidden gems here, too: beautiful little resort towns, an inviting wine country and a back-country mining town."
San Diego has a tough act to follow: The 2011 event in Newport, R.I., drew rave reviews. You can enjoy the photos here.
Eastman said that San Diego is up for the challenge in 2012. "Attendees will be able to enjoy the perfect blend of business meetings, networking and fun while in San Diego."
Reach 20,000 Student Travel Planners
Did you know you can reach 20,000 student travel planners and NTA tour operators at NTA?
Every year, we publish a Trip Planner designed specifically as an idea guide for student travel planners (those who coordinate trips for elementary to college-aged students). If you'd like to reach these qualified buyers and promote your product, consider NTA's Student Trip Planner today.
Space deadline: November 30.
Contact +1.859.264.6559 or e-mail advertising@ntaservicesinc.com.
- TravelClick reports U.S. hotel bookings are up 2 percent for the next 12 months, driven more by business travelers than groups.
- The Corporation for Travel Promotion qualified for $22.2 million in matching federal funds to conduct a nationally coordinated international travel marketing program for the United States.
- "Chat-downs" are the latest strategy employed by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to detect risks among air travelers.