Members of the National Tour Association are reaping the benefits of the open business floor format at the NTA Annual Convention…
Members of the National Tour Association are reaping the benefits of the open business floor format at the NTA Annual Convention. Introduced at the 2003 Convention in Charlotte, N.C., the new format maximizes business opportunities for NTA Convention delegates by allowing them access to each other at all times.
According to NTA research, 78 percent of tour operators state the open floor has been beneficial to their business. The open Tour & Travel Exchange environment allows members to make better use of non-appointment times to create new business connections. It also allows for higher quality appointments, enabling members to collaborate with colleagues in every member category in order to develop new product and complete tour packages without leaving the Exchange floor.
The open Exchange floor at the Annual Convention is reflective of the real world marketplace, NTA President Hank Phillips, CTP, said. We are offering the flexibility and options that allow delegates to maximize their time and investment in the Convention.
Member feedback shows that 80 percent of NTA Convention delegates pick up additional appointments on site that supplement their pre-scheduled appointments. This year, NTA will offer a 30-minute appointment scheduling session at the beginning of each Exchange day that allows attendees to schedule even more additional appointments onsite for the respective day.
Since opening the Exchange floor, both the number and quality of appointments has increased, making the NTA Annual Convention one of the strongest member benefits, NTA Chairman and CEO Ann Thomas, CTP, said. According to recent NTA research, the Annual Convention and the Tour & Travel Exchange are the two most important benefits of NTA membership and they also are the two highest rated in terms of quality.
Kei Thomas Maruyama, tour and travel sales manager at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, said I came to the NTA Annual Convention last year in Toronto without any prescheduled appointments. Because of the open format, everyone had equal opportunity to sell to potential buyers. I was able to work the floor and pick up 30 appointments while on site.
Registration for the 2005 NTA Annual Convention is currently underway. More than 400 of NTA`s tour operators have already registered for business in Detroit this year.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
