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National Tour Association provides assistance to DMO members governors, premiers urged to support travel and tourism

NTA has initiated a multi-faceted program in support of destination marketing organizations, which are facing…

NTA has initiated a multi-faceted program in support of destination marketing organizations, which are facing challenging economic conditions. Providing assistance to its DMO members on an individual, by-request basis is a primary element of the program that also includes making research available and sending letters to all U.S. governors and Canadian premiers stressing the importance of the travel and tourism industry to their destinations` revenue.



In a February 10 letter to NTA`s nearly 800 destination marketing organization members throughout the United States and Canada, Chairman Charlie McIlvain, CTP, urged DMO members to inform association leaders when they have budgetary or governmental issues with which NTA involvement may be helpful.



In response, NTA will use all reasonable efforts including making calls for DMOs, drafting letters to legislators and mobilizing NTA`s Grassroots Action Network to work on the destination`s behalf.



Celeste Krolak, CTP, tour marketing specialist with the Ohio Division of

Travel and Tourism and DMO director on the NTA Board`s Executive Committee, supports the association`s efforts. This is the time when local and regional DMOs need to work more closely with their state DMO representative, she said.



NTA`s program will also heighten awareness of destinations` economic plight with its letters to all U.S. governors from NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP. The letters encourage sufficient funding for tourism promotion and consideration of revenue streams that don`t involve higher industry taxes.



It also reminds elected leaders about the importance of the $555 billion domestic travel market ($99 billion of which is packaged travel).



Legislators are asked to promote in-state/province entertainment as well as natural and historic attractions that further increase revenue.

The National Tour Association urges you to consider the potential harm that could be done to your state by reducing or eliminating tourism promotion, said Phillips in the letter. We realize that tough times require tough measures, but tourism promotion should be seen as an investment in your state, your workforces and your economic well-being.



In response to the letter, NTA Board Member Mary Kay Cline, president/CEO of the Albuquerque (N.M.) CVB, said, It remains vital that our industry partners take a look at the future from every perspective. We must try to find mutually beneficial ways to get us through the tough days while we attempt to grow and strengthen the entire travel industry.



NTA will also support its DMO members by providing them with the most up-to-date research, including portions of the NTA Packaged Travel Study, to illustrate the economic impact of travel and tourism.



Research is great in good times, but it`s absolutely crucial in times like these, said NTA Board Member Barb Bowman, director of sales for the Grand Junction (Colo.) Visitor and Convention Bureau. We need this information to be able to justify returns on investments not just to our bosses, but also to our government officials, many of whom aren`t aware of how vital tourism is.



The National Tour Association is an organization of nearly 4,000

tourism professionals representing the packaged travel industry, which had a direct economic impact of $166 billion worldwide in 2001. NTA provides unsurpassed business opportunities, knowledge and information to businesses involved in tour operator packaged travel. NTA also serves as a consumer advocate through membership requirements, education and a consumer protection plan.

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