A Letter from INBOUND’s editor-in-chief, Jake Steinman: Last week, we announced that the entire NAJ portfolio—Active America China, Active America China Receptive Edition, TourOperatorland.com, INBOUND, and the RTO Summits—was sold to Connect Travel as part of a plan that that will allow me gradually scale back to Chairman Emeritus status by the end of 2021. (Please see the news release below).
Many of you have had questions you have sent my way—questions that I’d like to try to address here:
Q: Why did you sell?
A: I’ve been working with Will Seccombe and his team at Connect Travel for the past year and found that we shared the same business values. The money didn’t hurt either as it will enable me to retire without drastically reducing my lifestyle. 
Q: Does Connect Travel plan to close down any NAJ events?
A: Not at all. Their preference has been to use the events as “anchors” around which to add other events, similar to what they have done with Digital Marketing for Sports Travel and Thrive for LGBT travel running side by side by side with eTourism, which Connect Travel purchased last year. I’ve learned that we share the same values of creating value for our partners.
Q: What will happen to the NAJ staff?
A: Everyone on the NAJ staff has been offered, and has accepted, the same positions with Connect Travel to produce the products they purchased. Our attendees can still contact them directly about any questions they may have.
Q: What changes will be made to the NAJ portfolio of products?
A: Initially none, but there will be a transition that will be focused on delivering more appointments and more value for our attendees. Again, I want to stress, Connect Travel and my NAJ team will combine to insure that we are adding real value to our partners
Q: What will be your role?
A: I will continue full time work with Connect for the next twelve months while I build the TravelAbility Summit, a new b2b event designed to make travel easier for people with disabilities.
Q: What will happen to the NAJ brand?
A: It will be the umbrella brand that will own 80 percent of TravelAbility, a new event created to help make , while Connect Travel will own 20 percent.
And remember, our focus will be on integrating the teams and making sure that we are producing the type of events that generate business for our partners.
Will and I will be announcing a “town hall” type conference call where we will be available to answer any questions about the event.
Connect Travel Expands Tourism Industry Offering with New Acquisitions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Connect Travel Expands Tourism Industry Offering With New Acquisitions
ATLANTA, March 29, 2019—Connect Travel, LLC, a division of Connect (a Tarsus Group company), has acquired multiple assets from North American Journeys, Inc. Connect Travel works with destinations, resorts, hotels and attractions to increase their domestic and international leisure travel business by connecting them with the right people, at the right time and in a format that will expedite the sales process and help them close business.
Three RTO Summits (East, West and Orlando), Active America China as well as the Inbound Report and TourOperatorLand.com will join the Connect Travel portfolio, which includes the Connect Travel Marketplace, Connect Tour and the Connect THRIVE Summit.
“North American Journeys has been an innovator in B2B tourism marketing since 1996,” said Will Seccombe, president of Connect Travel. “We look forward to working with Jake Steinman and his team to continue to deliver extraordinary opportunities for our travel industry partners.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with all of the tour operators, suppliers and destinations who helped us build the preeminent sources of inbound tour and travel information and most innovative boutique shows in the industry,” said Jake Steinman, founder of NAJ Group. “By teaming up with Will and Connect Travel, Sophia, Betsy, Liz, Tom and I will have additional resources to bring even more value to our incredible clients.”
Connect Travel, LLC, a division of Connect (a Tarsus Group company), has acquired multiple assets from North American Journeys, Inc. Connect Travel works with destinations, resorts, hotels and attractions to increase their domestic and international leisure travel business by connecting them with the right people, at the right time and in a format that will expedite the sales process and help them close business.
Three RTO Summits (East, West and Orlando), Active America China as well as the Inbound Report and TourOperatorLand.com will join the Connect Travel portfolio, which includes the Connect Travel Marketplace, Connect Tour and the Connect THRIVE Summit.
“North American Journeys has been an innovator in B2B tourism marketing since 1996,” said Will Seccombe, president of Connect Travel. “We look forward to working with Jake Steinman and his team to continue to deliver extraordinary opportunities for our travel industry partners.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with all of the tour operators, suppliers and destinations who helped us build the preeminent sources of inbound tour and travel information and most innovative boutique shows in the industry,” said Jake Steinman, founder of NAJ Group. “By teaming up with Will and Connect Travel, Sofia, Betsy, Liz, Tom and I will have additional resources to bring even more value to our incredible clients.”
—RTO Summits
Conference and marketplace bringing together receptive tour operators with destinations and suppliers. The summits are hosted in cities with the highest concentration of RTO offices: New York, Los Angeles and Orlando. rtosummit.com
—Active America China
An annual product development show that brings together top Chinese tour operators with invited suppliers and destinations to develop new tour opportunities. activeamericachina.net
—TourOperatorLand
The only travel site designed to be used by international, domestic and receptive tour operators, travel media and travel agents researching new ideas for products. touroperatorland.com
About Connect Travel
Connect Travel is the leisure travel division of Connect. Connect Travel creates efficient and effective environments to expedite the sales process by connecting tourism professionals with the products, services, people and ideas that allow them to thrive in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global marketplace. For more information, visit connecttravel.com.
About Connect/Tarsus Group
Connect/Tarsus Group is a leader in the meetings, travel and tourism industry. Specializing in destination marketing, the company produces a full suite of digital programs, online and mobile solutions, meetings business and travel magazines, trade shows and consumer events, travel guides for newspapers and leisure magazines and destination information, which is distributed through broadcast and custom programs. More information about the company’s brands and services is available at connectmeetings.com. Connect is part of U.K.-based Tarsus Group, a business-to-business exhibition company with more than 150 events worldwide.
About North American Journeys
North American Journeys is the leading event and media company offering a suite of products for the tourism and travel industry. Visit northamericanjourneys.com for more information.
Contact: Director of Content Marketing Mindy Hylton, mhylton@connecttravel.com
Congratulations to Jake and Will! This merger makes total sense and I am very happy for your both!
All the best, Mike G
Congrats Jake…I remember the days we sat at the Marriott across the street from the Allied office discussing your original concept every time you visited NYC. Despite some minor differences in perspective, it certainly came a long way! Wishing you success with the new TravelAbility venture, a great new focus that can assist a good number of folks.
Congratulations Jake. Happy that you are getting the chance to start downshifting and enjoying life. Also glad that the show will go and that your great team will continue in their roles. I’ll never forget meeting you while on my way out for a morning jog in Tokyo a couple of decades ago!
See you soon in one of the trade show aisles.
Best,
Fritz Smith