The Inbound Report

Covering the Inbound Tourism Industry Since 1996

RTO Summit West Sold Out; eTourism International Day Slots Still Available

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eti-logo-finalThe two-day RTO Summit West, February 8-9 at the Ritz Carlton Marina del Rey, has completely sold out, however, a limited number of tickets to eTourism International, a one day version of NAJ’s most in-demand event, eTourism Summit, are still available.  This event is designed to provide international sales professionals with digital skills to complement their relationship marketing activity.

The objectives of eTourism International are:

  1. To provide digital tactics for the tour and travel industry’s international sales professionals; and
  2. To providing one-on-one executive coaching from experts who will help them to better understand international strategy, WeChat and other platforms effectively.

“The re-branding of the first day of the RTO Summits as eTourism International is designed to level up the value of the event by equipping travel industry sales people  with digital tactics that can help advance their careers.” explained Jake Steinman, CEO of the NAJ Group, which stages the RTO Summits. “Of course, day two will feature business appointments that bring together travel suppliers in face-to-face meetings with receptive operators.”

The program will include presentations, including two “Power Panels,” that cover a range of subjects, including the following:

  • The Best Performing Digital Channels that drive International Sales in the leading source markets of UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Germany, China and India.
  • Five Key Things You Need to Know about Google.
  • Five Things You Need to Know about International Facebook Marketing.
  • SMARKETING: How SMARKETING (Sales & Marketing) can support one another in developing a cohesive international sales strategy.
  • How to evaluate digital marketing campaigns proposed by in-country reps
  • “Yes, Even You Can Afford it!” Examples of low cost Digital Marketing Campaigns that have proven successful.
  • Utah’s Cafeteria Coop program … How the state of Utah created an international off season coop program that worked for suppliers at different budget levels
  • Visit Houston’s Influencer campaign in Mexico … How Houston built a content marketing program around two influencers in Mexico that yielded over 1.5 views and impressions.
  • National Park DMO’s influencer campaigns in Germany … Posts, Translations, Videos.
  • Examples of International Digital marketing Campaigns at different budget levels:
  • Key Travel Trends from UK, Germany and France …  TripAdvisor will be releasing the most recent version of its European Travel Monitor research including how inbound hotel bookings have been affected by Brexit and decline in the Euro, and Donald Trump’s presidency
  • Five Things You Need to Know about Digital Marketing to reach Chinese FITs:
  • Power Panel No.1: Find the Best Online Media Channel that will Boost Activity in Low Season. Learn from key company officials how Expedia Media, Travelzoo, and TripAdvisor can be used for coop programs to that target international visitors before they arrive.
  • Power Panel No. 2: A prestigious panel of leading receptive tour operators discuss their outlook on 2017 bookings, where they see opportunities and challenges. Companies participating are: AlliedTPro; New World Travel; American Tours International; DTE; and the Japanese Tour Operator Association.

To register for eTourism International, and for other information, visit: goo.gl/pk2gRV.

(For the 6th Consecutive year, NAJ will host the Japanese Tour Operator Association luncheon during the RTO Summit.)

 

NAJ’s Active America China Launches Bilingual B2B WeChat Channel

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Inform, Engage, Connect our tourism community around Active America China Summit 2017:
aa-we-chatThe NAJ Group, publishers of the Inbound Report, has launched a bi-lingual b2b WeChat channel designed to bind tour operators, travel planners, U.S.-based Chinese Receptive operators together with North American destinations and suppliers into a community network around Active America China Summit and TourOperatorland.com.

“We have assembled a great team to help us build the network and communicate in a way that will be uniquely entertaining, informative and engaging to our Chinese trade partners,” commented Jake Steinman, founder of NAJ and Active America China, “our goals is to grow our community of 300-500 trade buyers by March of 2017.”

—Daniel Shen’s team at  East/West Marketing, (our agents in China) will be promoting the channel to our network of over 300 Chinese-based operators who have attended Active America China since  2009 as well as to their database in the travel industry.

—Z.J.Tong’s team at China Pro Partners, will be in charge of design, production, translation and promotions to generating trade followers.

—Gayle Morris, a long-time veteran of our tourism industry whose experience includes tenures as senior sales and marketing leader at Tourism Richmond, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre and Gaylord Hotels ResortQuest division, will serve as Creative Content Strategist.

Weekly messaging will include the following on a rotational basis:

—What’s new at Active America China Summit; Host City updates, who’s attending, Pre&Post FAM opportunities and more

—TourOperatorland.com “Destination of the Week” links

—“I Love to Win” with Active America; weekly travel incentives and giveaways, provided by Active America China supplier partners

—“Farm to Chop Stick,” group friendly restaurants that Chinese travelers love to experience

—“The Dumpling Trail,” favorite Chinese restaurants for groups and FIT visitors

—“Shopping is the Best Outlet,” and therapy too! links to shopping vouchers from TourOperatorland

—“Dancing Destinations,” Links to US-dance videos sponsored by an AA China destination

—“Did You Know?” Relevant and fun facts and research sourced from The Inbound Report

About Active America China Summit (April 23-25, 2017, Portland, OR). Now entering its ninth year, the NAJ Active America China trade show  is the only US-based show that brings qualified Chinese tour operators to the event’s U.S. host city for to build new U.S. and Canadian product.

no-publicationFor more information about Active America China Summit go here:

Brand USA to Sponsor NAJ’s RTO Summit West and East in 2017

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brand-usaYearly Forums in Los Angeles, New York and Orlando spotlight U.S. travel: Brand USA – the destination-marketing organization for the United States–has agreed to a sponsorship role for the RTO Summit, an annual travel-industry tradeshow presented by the North American Journeys Group (NAJ), a California-based research company that serves receptive tour operators (RTOs).

In addition to these meetings, this year’s event will feature eTourism International, an entire day filled with panel discussions providing digital tactics and tools especially useful to tourism sales professionals.

“Brand USA is a critical part of the marketing machinery that makes international travelers increasingly aware of the USA as a global-travel destination,” said Jake Steinman, CEO of the NAJ Group.

“Moreover, our three shows allow local RTOs to meet with representatives of U.S. suppliers and destinations in settings that tend to encourage more personal interaction than at the mega-sized shows,” he said.

Brand USA began its affiliation with the NAJ tradeshows series by sponsoring a closing luncheon at last month’s RTO Summit Orlando. The next two shows (in 2017) include RTO Summit West, Feb. 8-9 in Los Angeles, and RTO Summit East, May 15-16 in New York.

“Participating in the two-day NAJ summits advances our strategy for promoting U.S. travel opportunities among receptive tour operators, a sector of the tourism industry that continues to gain in significance,” said Brand USA’s Cathleen Domanico, vice president for Global Trade.

Brand USA representatives will have opportunities to convey research and pertinent travel information to the RTOs during the “eTourism International,” which takes place during the first day of each summit.

rto-summitThe three RTO tradeshows appeal to different international market sectors based largely on the gateways they serve, Steinman said. “RTO Summit West, has a substantial number of RTOs that serve Asian markets, RTO Summit East attracts RTO’s that cater to markets in Europe and a high percentage of RTOs who work with the South American travel trade, attend the Orlando show,” he said.

For more details on the 2017 RTO Summits and the programs for each, visit: www.rtosummit.com.

 

Active America China Launches Bi-lingual B2B WeChat Channel

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wechat Inform, Engage, Connect our tourism community around Active America China Summit 2017

Effective Dec. 7, 2016, NAJ will launch a bi-lingual  b2b WeChat channel designed to bind tour operators, travel planners, U.S.-based Chinese Receptive operators together with North American destinations and suppliers  into a community network around Active America China Summit and TourOperatorland.com.

“We have assembled a great team to help us build the network and communicate in a way that will be uniquely entertaining, informative and engaging to our Chinese trade partners,” commented Jake Steinman, founder of NAJ and Active America China, “our goals is to grow our community of 300-500 trade buyers by March of 2017.”

—Daniel Shen’s team at  East/West Marketing, (our agents in China) will be promoting the channel to our network of over 300 Chinese-based operators who have attended Active America China since  2009 as well as to their database in the travel industry.

—Z.J.Tong’s team at China Pro Partners, will be in charge of design, production, translation and promotions to generating trade followers.

—Gayle Morris, a long-time veteran of our tourism industry whose experience includes tenures as senior sales and marketing leader at Tourism Richmond, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre and Gaylord Hotels ResortQuest division, will serve as Creative Content Strategist.

Weekly messaging will include the following on a rotational basis…

  • What’s new at Active America China Summit; Host City updates, who’s attending, Pre&Post FAM opportunities and more
  • TourOperatorland.com “Destination of the Week” links
  • “I Love to Win” with Active America; weekly travel incentives and giveaways, provided by Active America China supplier partners
  • “Farm to Chop Stick,” group friendly restaurants that Chinese travelers love to experience
  • “The Dumpling Trail,” favorite Chinese restaurants for groups and FIT visitors
  • “Shopping is the Best Outlet,” and therapy too! Links to shopping vouchers from TourOperatorland
  • “Dancing Destinations,” Links to US-dance videos sponsored by an AA China destination
  • “Did You Know?” Relevant and fun facts and research sourced from The Inbound Report

active-america-chinaAbout Active America China Summit (April 23-25, 2017, Portland, OR). Now entering its ninth year, the NAJ Active America China trade show  is the only US-based show that brings qualified Chinese tour operators to the event’s U.S. host city for to build new U.S. and Canadian product.

For more information about Active America China Summit go here: http://www.activeamericachina.net/

Day Two at NAJ’s RTO Summit Orlando—a Photo Log

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Colleagues from the Niagara Falls region at breakfast together: Lori Reed (left), manager international tour & travel trade, Niagara Parks; and Kelley Colville, associate director of sales, Hornblower Niagara Cruises. Colleagues from the Niagara Falls r
Colleagues from the Niagara Falls region at breakfast together: Lori Reed (left), manager international tour & travel trade, Niagara Parks; and Kelley Colville, associate director of sales, Hornblower Niagara Cruises.

 

Anthony Liu (left), general manager, American Holidays, Inc., and Rick Xi, director, international services, for the Rotary Club of Orlando Dragons, take a break in their conversation to accommodate the photographer. Anthony Liu (left), general manage
Anthony Liu (left), general manager, American Holidays, Inc., and Rick Xi, director, international services, for the Rotary Club of Orlando Dragons, take a break in their conversation to accommodate the photographer.

 

Jorge Rodriguez, account manager for 7M Tours, told us that he had a full appointment schedule with suppliers for the upcoming day.
Jorge Rodriguez, account manager for 7M Tours, told us that he had a full appointment schedule with suppliers for the upcoming day.

 

Following a morning presentation before the day’s business appointments are two colleagues from Pennsylvania: Audrey Bialas (left), director of sales for the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau; and Greg Edevane, director of sales, The Countryside of Pennsylvania.
Following a morning presentation before the day’s business appointments are two colleagues from Pennsylvania: Audrey Bialas (left), director of sales for the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau; and Greg Edevane, director of sales, The Countryside of Pennsylvania.

 

The first receptive operator to set up for business, Tereza Reis, president of Personal RGE Tours, which specializes in the markets of South America, Central America and Portugal, told us that 2016 has been a challenging year for doing business in Brazil.
The first receptive operator to set up for business, Tereza Reis, president of Personal RGE Tours, which specializes in the markets of South America, Central America and Portugal, told us that 2016 has been a challenging year for doing business in Brazil.

 

By the time the bell rings for the first appointment session, some buyers and suppliers are already busy at work.
By the time the bell rings for the first appointment session, some buyers and suppliers are already busy at work.

 

Business was brisk at the table of Danielle Boukai, product manager for the Orlando-base Kaluah Tour Operator.
Business was brisk at the table of Danielle Boukai, product manager for the Orlando-base Kaluah Tour Operator.

 

Yasuhito “Ty” Inomata is Orlando branch manager for IACE Travel, which has more than 20 branch locations in the U.S.
Yasuhito “Ty” Inomata is Orlando branch manager for IACE Travel, which has more than 20 branch locations in the U.S.

 

Our photographer catches up with Eric Hoogstins, vice president, product development, Fly2America, during one of the few moments when someone was not at his table.
Our photographer catches up with Eric Hoogstins, vice president, product development, Fly2America, during one of the few moments when someone was not at his table.

 

f you were able to look close enough, you would see that BillyJo Clark, ancillary product manager, Tourico Holidays, does not have a single available open session on his appointments calendar
If you were able to look close enough, you would see that BillyJo Clark, ancillary product manager, Tourico Holidays, does not have a single available open session on his appointments calendar

 

We catch Gabby Padilla, groups manager who also handles incentive travel for Meeting Point International, between appointments.
We catch Gabby Padilla, groups manager who also handles incentive travel for Meeting Point International, between appointments.

 

New York City colleagues meet up to discuss how the day is going: Gisel Vidals, head of global sales, Americas, for Big Bus Tours; and Benjamin Maddy, director of travel & tourism sales at the Madison Square Garden Company.
New York City colleagues meet up to discuss how the day is going: Gisel Vidals, head of global sales, Americas, for Big Bus Tours; and Benjamin Maddy, director of travel & tourism sales at the Madison Square Garden Company.

 

Renee Wilson, director of sales for New York’s THE RIDE, previewis for us virtual reality Timelooper videos that are part of THE DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE Powered By THE RIDE
Renee Wilson, director of sales for New York’s THE RIDE, previewis for us virtual reality Timelooper videos that are part of THE DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE Powered By THE RIDE

 

New York City colleagues meet up to discuss how the day is going: Gisel Vidals, head of global sales, Americas, for Big Bus Tours; and Benjamin Maddy, director of travel & tourism sales at the Madison Square Garden Company.
New York City colleagues meet up to discuss how the day is going: Gisel Vidals, head of global sales, Americas, for Big Bus Tours; and Benjamin Maddy, director of travel & tourism sales at the Madison Square Garden Company.

 

Adam S. Magyar, executive director-brand partnerships, Bonotel Exclusive Travel, made the trip from Las Vegas to Orlando to take part in the RTO Summit.
Adam S. Magyar, executive director-brand partnerships, Bonotel Exclusive Travel, made the trip from Las Vegas to Orlando to take part in the RTO Summit.

 

Izumi Goodwin, office manager for JTB’s Orlando operations, shows us a brochure featuring part of the company’s USA product line.
Izumi Goodwin, office manager for JTB’s Orlando operations, shows us a brochure featuring part of the company’s USA product line.

 

We learned from Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Bethesda, Maryland-based Ujala Enterprises, that there is increased interest in USA product on the part of travelers from India.
We learned from Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Bethesda, Maryland-based Ujala Enterprises, that there is increased interest in USA product on the part of travelers from India.

 

Gisa Kusserow-Hanson, general manager, Florida, for AlliedTPro, was busy both days at the RTO Summit. On day one, she was a panelist in one of the RTO Summit’s educational sessions.
Gisa Kusserow-Hanson, general manager, Florida, for AlliedTPro, was busy both days at the RTO Summit. On day one, she was a panelist in one of the RTO Summit’s educational sessions.

 

Business appointments were so intense that those involved in discussions were unaware that a photographer was nearby.
Business appointments were so intense that those involved in discussions were unaware that a photographer was nearby.

 

We say hello to Edecio Habibe, market manager USA, HotelsPro.
We say hello to Edecio Habibe, market manager USA, HotelsPro.

 

Our photographer had to wait until just the right moment to snare this photo of Denise Cunha of Orlando-based My Vacation Tours.
Our photographer had to wait until just the right moment to snare this photo of Denise Cunha of Orlando-based My Vacation Tours.

 

After observing the activity at the North America Destinations table, where German Ortiz, manager, Latin sales; and Freedom Stephane, product manager, were constantly busy, one got the feeling that there is a resurgence taking place in the market from Brazil.
After observing the activity at the North America Destinations table, where German Ortiz, manager, Latin sales; and Freedom Stephane, product manager, were constantly busy, one got the feeling that there is a resurgence taking place in the market from Brazil.

 

Possibly the busiest place in the hall that served as the venue for buyer and supplier business meetings was the table of TrendTravelUSA, which was staffed by Michelle Perez-Frainha (left), who handles business development; and Janete Beaghley, who handles receptive operations.
Possibly the busiest place in the hall that served as the venue for buyer and supplier business meetings was the table of TrendTravelUSA, which was staffed by Michelle Perez-Frainha (left), who handles business development; and Janete Beaghley, who handles receptive operations.

 

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Jennifer Edwards (left), senior sales manager, Midway Attractions North America Merlin Entertainments; and her colleague, Lauren Paffenback, travel trade sales executive-international, Merlin Entertainments, steal a few minutes outside to update information from their business appointments.

 

A not uncommon sight later in the day at many travel industry trade shows: Here, Sabine Chilton, international sales manager for The Florida Keys and Key West, is ready to head home after two more afternoon business appointments.
A not uncommon sight later in the day at many travel industry trade shows: Here, Sabine Chilton, international sales manager for The Florida Keys and Key West, is ready to head home after two more afternoon business appointments.

 

The non-stop appointments at Abreu Tours, represented by Maria Contreras, product development, seemed to reinforce the notion that business from Brazil—it is one of the key country markets for Abreu—is going to pick up next year
The non-stop appointments at Abreu Tours, represented by Maria Contreras, product development, seemed to reinforce the notion that business from Brazil—it is one of the key country markets for Abreu—is going to pick up next year

 

Visit Orlando’s Deb Melnick (left), ‎senior planner, trade shows &events; and Libby Anderson, trade show and events planner, showed off their skills in staging a flawless luncheon for RTO Summit delegates.
Visit Orlando’s Deb Melnick (left), ‎senior planner, trade shows &events; and Libby Anderson, trade show and events planner, showed off their skills in staging a flawless luncheon for RTO Summit delegates.

 

Speaking the day’s luncheon sponsor and host city are: Chris Ellis (left), director, global trade development, for Brand USA and Visit Orlando’s Patrick Yvars, travel industry sales director, Latin America, respectively.
Speaking the day’s luncheon sponsor and host city are: Chris Ellis (left), director, global trade development, for Brand USA and Visit Orlando’s Patrick Yvars, travel industry sales director, Latin America, respectively.

 

An avid chess player, the NAJ Group’s Florian Hermann, moderator for International Digital Day—the first day of the RTO Summit—hopes that someone will join him following the close of business on Day Two so they can play chess on the rather large board outside the B Resort Hotel in Orlando.
An avid chess player, the NAJ Group’s Florian Hermann, moderator for International Digital Day—the first day of the RTO Summit—hopes that someone will join him following the close of business on Day Two so they can play chess on the rather large board outside the B Resort Hotel in Orlando.

 

BillyJo Clark (center), ancillary product manager, Tourico Holidays, took advantage of the venue to present the company’s Supplier of the Month award to Hornblower Cruises and Events. Accepting the award are Estelle Miller (left), director of tourism development, Hornblower Cruises and Events; and Kelley Coville, associate director of sales, Hornblower Niagara Cruises.
BillyJo Clark (center), ancillary product manager, Tourico Holidays, took advantage of the venue to present the company’s Supplier of the Month award to Hornblower Cruises and Events. Accepting the award are Estelle Miller (left), director of tourism development, Hornblower Cruises and Events; and Kelley Coville, associate director of sales, Hornblower Niagara Cruises.

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