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National Tour Association The National Tour Association represents a broad range of packaged travel businesses including nearly 4,000 tour companies, tour suppliers and destinations throughout North America and in several countries around the globe. NTA member companies have always been very focused on working together and developing partnerships, and in light of the current world situation, this is more important than ever.
It is too early to predict the immediate effects of war with Iraq, but there is little doubt NTA tour operators will experience cancellations on some level. As the NTA tour operator drives business to the destinations’ hotels, restaurants, attractions and related businesses, these cancellations and changes in travel plans will impact not only tour operators, but also their supplier partners. This emphasizes the importance of industry professionals once again exercising the flexibility they exhibited post-Sept. 11.
For several weeks, NTA tour operators have witnessed Americans suffering through a pre-war traumatic stress syndrome. This has an obvious affect on our willingness to travel, and this will become magnified during the conflict. If this war can be quick and decisive, there should be a boost in consumer confidence and the economy. We must move toward this objective of traveler confidence, so people will get moving again and exercise their freedom to travel.
NTA has been watching and preparing for this crisis situation over these past several months and doing whatever it can to prepare its members for the times ahead. Related to this, NTA is forging ahead and continuing to help its members develop business through association events, government relations, research and information, and marketing. To this end, NTA promotes the freedom to travel and encourages its members and industry partners to also celebrate this freedom.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
