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       Volume VI, Issue 3: MARCH 2008
     
 

The mission of the NCSTD is to leverage the collective strength of state tourism offices to influence public policy, and to provide leadership and the forum for information sharing and education on issues impacting tourism.                                                                        

Top Stories:

PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE GENERATED AT 3rd ANNUAL SPRING FORUM


Thirty directors participated in the 3rd annual NCSTD Spring Forum in Washington, D.C. at the end of February.  Participants heard from senior TIA staff on a number of key programs and initiatives.  Copies of the following TIA presentations are available by clicking on the proper link: Public Affairs, International, Research, and Communications.  Highlights also included an enlightening report by a team of state researchers on the differences in the three primary survey tools that provide domestic visitor data.  They also provided an encouraging update on information that may soon be available from VISA on international visitor spending data. 
 
During the NCSTD business meeting, the group reaffirmed its support of TIA's public policy efforts, adopted a resolution in support of the Travel Promotion Act of 2008 and made recommendations that would help facilitate state participation in the Travel Leadership Summit in September.  They also identified the need for research on the pros and cons of starting the school year after Labor Day.

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TIA's FIRST  POLICY COUNCIL MEETING HELD

The inaugural meeting of TIA's Policy Council took place in Washington, DC on March 12-13.  The role of the Policy Council is to help shape and prioritize TIA's growing public affairs activities.  Margie Emmermann (AZ), Lynn Minges (NC), Chad Prosser (SC), and Susan Whitaker (TN) were in attendance.  The event opened with a private dinner with respected political prognosticator Charlie Cook giving his insights on the upcoming presidential election.  Council members discussed inbound international strategy, domestic travel facilitation and the impact of climate change on the industry.  Presentations by subject matter experts framed the issues that stimulated follow up discussion by the group on what TIA's role should be on behalf of the industry.  For information on how you can participate in the Policy Council, please contact Gary Oster or Geoff Freeman.

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ESTO 2008 SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT:   Bruce Turkel

Bruce Turkel, CEO of Turkel, a successful brand management firm, will be one of the headline speakers at ESTO 2008.  He will share his simple steps to profitable communication and building brand value in a general session.  In a follow up breakout session, he will present specific techniques for extending the life of a brand.  These sessions will teach participants how to harness the persuasive power of simple, compelling brand communications to achieve business objectives.  Turkel has been creating and working with valuable brands for over 25 years.   For more information click ESTO 2008.

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U.S.RANKS 7th IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM

According to the Global Travel & Tourism Competitive Report 2008, the U.S. is now the seventh most competitive country in the travel and tourism sector, dropping two places from a year ago. The report by the World Economic Forum, in conjunction with Booz Allen Hamilton, places Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia, Spain and Great Britain ahead of the U.S., with Sweden, Canada and France rounding out the top ten. The rankings, covering 130 countries in total, are based on a measurement of over 60 variables including statutory regulations, health and safety, infrastructure, local price levels and environmental and cultural aspects. Among the variables, the U.S. ranked 114th in the openness of U.S. citizens toward foreign visitors.

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2nd ANNUAL CHINA- US TOURISM DIRECTORS SUMMIT SCHEDULED

Following the success of the first ever meeting between U.S. and Chinese Tourism Directors hosted in the U.S. last October, plans are underway for the 2nd annual summit to be held in Shanghai, November 17-22.  The event will be held in conjunction with the China International Travel Mart (CITM), November 20-23.  Four state tourism directors - Mike Cerletti (NM), Jan Kostner (IL), Tim Maland (NV) and Bud Nocera (FL) - have been named to collaborate with TIA on program development and protocol clarification for the event.  Specific questions should be directed to Bruce Bommarito.

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NTA CHINA INBOUND PROGRAM APPROVED

The Chinese National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has approved the National Tour Association's (NTA) China Inbound Program proposal. Under the agreement, NTA will provide the CNTA with a list of tour operators qualified to organize and conduct leisure group travel from China to the U.S. The program will assist NTA tour operators in working with Chinese travel agencies to organize and market group leisure tours to the U.S.  In December, the U.S. and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding that provides the necessary framework to permit Chinese group leisure travel to the U.S.

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TravelCom'08 FOCUSES ON eCOMMERCE

TIA's TravelCom'08 is a prime opportunity for your eCommerce leader and team to get the latest in travel eCommerce and distribution. Held in Chicago from April 8-10, TIA's TravelCom '08 will feature speakers from Google, Travelocity, YouTube, Yahoo, TripAdvisor and other leading eCommerce and distribution companies. States will be particularly interested in the panels on the dangers of search, new mobile marketing, quantifying social networking and building your brand beyond the Internet. Plus, there will be ample opportunity for one-on-one networking. To register click here.


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JATA WORLD TRAVEL FAIR TO FEATURE NORTH AMERICA

Anyone interested in the Japanese market should take note.  The theme of this year's JATA World Travel Fair, to be held September 18-21 at Tokyo Big Sight, is North America.  That means that the Discover America Pavilion will have a prime location and there will be many PR opportunities.  This presents an excellent prospect for increasing business from Japan.  The March deadline for early-bird booking has been extended for North American companies.  For more information contact Bruce Bommarito.

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TIA's ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR ODYSSEY AWARDS

What do Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia have in common?  They were all recognized worldwide by winning a 2007 Odyssey Award.  TIA, in partnership with National Geographic Traveler, recognizes the highest achievements, worldwide, in the travel and tourism industry.  Categories include domestic, international and online advertising, geotourism and marketing.  Winners will appear in National Geographic Traveler (November/December 2008 issue) and honored at a dinner ceremony held during TIA's Marketing Outlook Forum in Portland, Oregon this October.  Submit your entries by June 16, 2008.  Click here for more information and to download a 2008 Call for Entries brochure.

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DISCOVERAMERICA TO BE POWERED BY TRAVELOCITY

The Travel Industry Association has named Travelocity as the online travel platform for DiscoverAmerica.com, the official travel and tourism Web site of the U.S. Travelocity will provide online hotel reservation services beginning this spring for the Web site's five initial markets: the U.K., Germany, Canada, Mexico and Japan. DiscoverAmerica.com, which is being developed through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, is aimed to reach the top five inbound markets to the U.S., which account for about 75% of the 37 million international visitors to the U.S. each year. DiscoverAmerica.com will feature in-depth content on U.S. states, territories and destinations as well as activities, official entry requirements, a community network and mapping.  The site will be available in English for consumers in the U.K. and Canada, and will be fully translated into French, German, Japanese and Spanish for consumers in Canada, Germany, Japan and Mexico. 

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NEWS INSIDE THE STATES

FLORIDA - Visit Florida has launched its new "Sunshine" campaign--a fully integrated advertising campaign using TV, online and print media as well as an interactive Web site that it says is unlike any other travel planning site in the country. The campaign will reach national network television audiences for the first time in Visit Florida's marketing history. Television spots on broadcast and cable networks will target the New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Washington markets.

ILLINOIS- Welcomed a record 91 million domestic visitors in 2006, a 6.4% increase from the previous year and generated an economic impact for the state of more than $28.3 billion. Overseas visitors increased spending by 9.8% in 2006, generating $1.7 billion in economic impact. The figures were released during the recent 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism in Chicago.

MISSOURI - The Missouri Division of Tourism is launching new advertising designed to entice travelers to visit Missouri from ten Midwestern states. The campaign targets residents in 32 markets who are most likely to be planning a driving vacation. With the theme "Close to Home, Far from Ordinary," the campaign focuses on special moments and the emotional connections that happen when families, boomer couples and girlfriends share trips together. Four TV spots specifically target families, baby boomer couples, and young women looking for a destination for the increasingly popular girls' getaway. Print ads will extend the campaign to niche travelers such as Civil War buffs, cyclists and golfers.

NORTH CAROLINA - Visitors to North Carolina spent a record $16.5 billion in 2007, an increase of 7.2% over 2006. The tourism industry generated a total of more than $1.3 billion in tax revenues, according to figures released Tuesday by the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development.

OHIO- Governor Strickland lobbies Amtrak for more service, saying his administration is "committed to providing Ohio's urban areas with the tools they need to create jobs and attract investments to make their communities vibrant centers of commerce," Governor Strickland has written to Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant to identify what is needed to initiate passenger service in the "3-C corridor that comprises Cleveland, Columbus-Dayton and Cincinnati.  The study would be performed by Amtrak and funded by the state of Ohio.

TEXAS-launched a new television advertising campaign that began airing on national cable channels in February.  The ads are part of an integrated campaign that includes print and Internet advertising. The effort will target travelers from Texas' top international markets through print and Internet advertising. Texas Tourism also introduced Trip Planner, a new interactive planning tool on TravelTex.com, the agency's official Web site.

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For a comprehensive listing of upcoming state and regional tourism conferences, industry meetings, conventions, and trade shows, check out TIA's online Meetings Calendar.

© 2008 Travel Industry Association.  All rights reserved.

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StateSide is the official e-newsletter of the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD), an industry council of the Travel Industry Association (TIA).  StateSide is a benefit of your NCSTD membership within TIA, produced by its National Councils Department.

The NCSTD is comprised of the tourism directors of the 50 states, the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. For more information on NCSTD programs and activities, visit NCSTD.

Please direct comments or suggestions to James Brown, Director of State Relations at ncstd@tia.org  or 202.408.8422.

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2008 NCSTD SPRING FORUM SPONSORS

UPCOMING 2008 TIA EVENTS 

ESTO 2008
Hyatt Cococonut Bonita Springs, FL
August 23-26, 2008 

 2008 Discover America Pavilions - Cost-effective alternatives to participate in Madrid, Milan, Berlin and more.

TravelCom 08 
Chicago, Illinois
April 8-10, 2008 -

National Tourism Week
May 10-18, 2008
"Discover Great American Traditions"

International Pow Wow
Las Vegas, Nevada
May 31 - June 4, 2008 -

For more information about TIA, go to www.tia.org.